Haryana Sees Police-Protester Clash During Independence Day Events

Tension prevailed in Haryana's Jind district on Saturday after police and protesters confronted each other in Hansi, where farmers and khap representatives were attempting to demonstrate against Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini's Independence Day programme. The protesters were stopped at Gulkani village before they could proceed towards Hansi, following which they blocked a road at the village. The development disrupted the Independence Day proceedings and prompted a heavy police deployment in the area.

The protest was linked to anger among sections of farmers and khap organisations over the recent killing of dairy operator Jeevan Kundu. Farmers' unions and khap panchayats had announced plans to demonstrate at Saini's Independence Day event in Hansi, demanding strict action against those accused in Kundu's murder. The agitation followed a mahapanchayat that had called for protests over the case.

According to reports, protesters travelling towards Hansi were intercepted by police at Gulkani before they could enter the town. The intervention led to a standoff, after which farmers and khap representatives gathered and blocked the road. Security personnel were deployed in substantial numbers at the spot to prevent the protesters from advancing further and to maintain law and order as the Chief Minister's programme was taking place.

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The protests have intensified following the killing of Kundu, a dairy operator from the area. Reports said he was attacked by a group of men with sticks on August 4 and later died while undergoing treatment. Farmers and khap representatives have demanded action against all those allegedly involved in the killing, making the case a major focus of the ongoing agitation. The groups had also staged protests at toll plazas in the region ahead of Saturday's demonstration.

The agitation also affected traffic infrastructure in the area, with the Khatakhat toll plaza shut on Saturday amid the protests. The closure followed the wider campaign by farmers and khap organisations, who had earlier shut several toll plazas across Hisar, Hansi and Rohtak while demanding the arrest of the prime accused in Kundu's murder. Protesters have warned that their agitation could continue if their demands are not addressed.

The confrontation came as Haryana marked Independence Day with events across the state, including the Chief Minister's programme in Hansi. Authorities deployed additional security forces at Gulkani to prevent the situation from escalating and to ensure that the scheduled celebrations proceeded. The latest road blockade marks another escalation in the protests surrounding Kundu's killing, with farmers and khap representatives using the occasion of the Chief Minister's public programme to press for action in the case.

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