Bus Overturns in Punjab While Heading to Mahapanchayat, 3 Women Farmers Die

Barnala (The Uttam Hindu): A tragic bus accident occurred in Barnala district, Punjab on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of three women farmers and injuries to several others. The women were affiliated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ekta Ugrahan and were traveling to participate in the Kisan Mahapanchayat in Tohana, Haryana. At the time of the accident, the women and other activists were on the bus. The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment. It is noteworthy that this Kisan Mahapanchayat is being organized by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM).

Under the banners of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), farmers have been staging a protest at the Shambhu and Khanoori borders between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, after being stopped from marching to Delhi. Senior farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanoori border since November 26, demanding that the central government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accept farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.

In September 2024, the Supreme Court formed a committee, headed by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nawab Singh to look into the matter.