Chandigarh: In Hisar, Haryana, tensions escalated after police deployed teargas shells against farmers during a panchayat in the Khedi Chopta area, where they gathered to deliberate on various demands presented to the Centre, including the establishment of a minimum support price (MSP). The confrontation led to viral videos on social media capturing the volatile clash between farmers and riot police, highlighting a chaotic scene where farmers hurled stones and charged at retreating police, who responded by firing teargas, engaging in lathi charges, and detaining several individuals.

This unrest follows an announcement by the farmers to march towards Khanauri at the Punjab border, uniting with thousands of other farmers for a 'Delhi Chalo' march. Their demands include a legal guarantee for MSP, farm loan waivers, pensions, and the rollback of electricity rates. Amidst these protests, a 62-year-old farmer, Darshan Singh, tragically died of a cardiac arrest in Khanauri, marking the second death among protesters this week, after Subhkaran Singh's demise during a clash with police on February 21. These incidents add to a growing list of casualties, with at least two other farmers over 60 succumbing to suspected heart attacks amid the protests.

The ongoing farmer protests are a continuation of the nationwide agitations that took place between 2020 and 2021, during which tens of thousands of farmers besieged Delhi's borders, demanding the fulfillment of their grievances. Despite four rounds of negotiations between the government and the farmers, no agreement has been reached, with a fifth round of discussions anticipated.

In response to the recent police actions and the deaths of fellow protesters, farmers across the nation observed a "black day," burning effigies of BJP leaders. This act of protest was initiated by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) to commemorate Shubhkaran Singh's death. The Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), a prominent member of the SKM, staged protests at 47 locations across 17 districts in Punjab, expressing their dissent against the treatment of farmers by the Haryana Police and mourning the loss of their comrades.

As the farmers' movement continues, plans are underway for a series of nationwide protests, including tractor rallies and a significant mahapanchayat scheduled in Delhi on March 14, signaling a determined push for their demands amidst escalating tensions and the government's ongoing negotiations.

(With inputs from media reports)