India: The priest of a Gurdwara from Haryana, Baba Ram Singh, who joined the farmers’ protest, has died by suicide; he had shot himself. The 65-year-old was at the Delhi-Sonipat border at Kundli, where he reached last evening. The area is 2 km from the Singhu border, the epicentre of farmers’ protest, which is now on its 21st day. In a note, he said he was sacrificing his life “to express anger and pain against the government’s injustice”.
“I feel the pain of farmers fighting to ensure their rights… I share their pain because the government is not doing justice to them. To inflict injustice is a sin, but it is also a sin to tolerate injustice. To support farmers, some have returned their awards to the government. I have decided to sacrifice myself,” read the note he left.
“He was rushed to Park hospital in Panipat and was declared dead on arrival by the doctors,” said Shyam Lal Poonia, the Deputy Police Commissioner of Sonipat. His body is now being shifted to Karnal, where he lived, the officer added.
More than 20 of the protesters have died, the farmers’ representatives said yesterday. A farmer leader from Maharashtra, Rishipal, said one farmer has died every day on an average since the protest started.