Remove barricades from Shambhu border within 7 days: Supreme Court to Haryana govt – Times of India

CHANDIGARH/BHATINDA: The Punjab and Haryana High Court On Wednesday, the Haryana government ordered to dismantle barricades at the inter-state Shambhu border near Ambala within seven days. The barricades, guarded by the Central forces and Haryana police, were put up in February this year to prevent farmers from Punjab from entering Haryana during their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha led the farmers’ agitation and demanded a legal guarantee from MSP.HC also directed Punjab, Haryana and farmer unions to maintain law and order. The court allowed Haryana to take “effective measures” if the protests went out of hand.
“There is no free flow of transport vehicles or buses and the diversion can only be used by private vehicles. The public has been put in great discomfort. The number of protesters has now dwindled to 400-500… Thus, the lifelines of Punjab are being blocked due to sheer fear,” Justice GS Sandhawalia said.
HC orders SIT probe to the murder of a farmer from Bathinda
The court said it would be in the public interest of Haryana to open the expressway “perpetually”. The HC also ordered an SIT probe, headed by senior Haryana IPS officer Satish Balan, into the February 21 murder of 22-year-old farmer activist Shubhkaran Singh from Bathinda, near the Khanauri border.
The Haryana government has filed a forensic lab report on the pellets found in Shubhkaran’s body. Haryana Additional Solicitor General Deepak Sabharwal said the report, filed in a sealed case, indicated that the pellets were fired from a hunting rifle, a weapon not used by the state police, at close range.
On May 28, the HC had sought a report from the Central Forensic Laboratory in Chandigarh to address concerns over the weapon used and ensure fair investigation.
The court passed these orders while hearing petitions regarding the farmers’ protests and blockade, including a PIL filed by advocate Uday Pratap Singh.
The protesters welcomed the HC order. Sarvan Singh Pandher, convener of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), said, “Our claim has been proven: it is not the farmers who have blocked the highway, but Haryana and the central government.”
Farmers have decided to seek legal advice before deciding their next steps, with informal talks likely to begin on Thursday. A decision is expected at a July 16 meeting between SKM (non-political) and KMM members.
On Tuesday, the Punjab government paid a compensation of Rs 1 crore to Shubhkaran’s family and provided a job to his sister.