3 min readFeb 19, 2026 09:11 AM IST
In the second crackdown in 12 days, the Punjab Police on Wednesday fired tear gas shells to stop the members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) from marching towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Bathinda. The protestors were demanding the release of their two jailed senior leaders.
Police’s action further triggered protests and a dharna in and around Jeond village — several protestors were detained, while others dispersed.
Amid today’s clash between police and farmers, two members of the BKU Ugrahan — Charanjit Singh Marhi and Puneet Singh Jeond — got injured.
Jasveer Singh, BKU Ugrahan leader, said, “Puneet injured his hand and has been admitted to Ludhiana’s Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, while Charanjit fractured his leg. He is in a private hospital in Rampura Phul. Apart from this nearly 15 farmers were detained by police on Wednesday and not released till late evening.”
Today’s mobilisation was to seek release of Baldev Singh Chauke and Sagandeep Singh Jeond, senior BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) leaders. They have been lodged in Bathinda jail since April 2025 and are facing charges of attempted murder in connection with earlier agitations.
Shingara Singh Mann, president of BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) Bathinda district said, “The bail of Baldev Singh Chaoke and Sagandeep Singh Jeond was accepted in Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday… orders are likely to be received by Bathinda jail on Thursday… they will be released after more than 10 months.” The members of the farmers’ group are likely to be released tomorrow.
Shingara also alleged, “Police attacked us while we were gathered peacefully in a village ‘dera’. They didn’t even spare a religious place. They demolished the shed of a villager, and his six goats were killed. A youngster was forcibly taken into custody… houses in adjoining villages were raided.”
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Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), also condemned the police action. He also alleged that the Bhagwant Mann government is trying to gag the farmers’ voice at the behest of Union Minister Amit Shah. “The Centre is trying to implement the Draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill and the US-India trade deal decisions, and hence they are trying to crush the Kisan Mazdoor movement in Punjab…”
Echoing similar sentiments, the SKM Punjab unit condemned this incident. “The SKM called an emergency meeting on Thursday on the issue at Kisan Bhawan Chandigarh where they will be deciding the future course of action on this police repression,” said Angrej Singh Bhadaur, SKM leader.
According to sources, amid heavy police deployment and continued action, drones were also spotted hovering over the area. The farmers allegedly responded to tear gas shells with stone pelting.
The farmers had planned protests outside the DC office on February 6 and February 18 to seek release of both leaders. On February 6, farmers from Bathinda, Sangrur, Barnala, Mansa and other districts were stopped from entering Bathinda through multi-layer barricading. Following the February 6 protest, police in Bathinda registered fresh cases against union leaders.
