Haryana farmer dies after falling from tractor-trolley at Tikri border protest site

Chandigarh: A 28-year-old farmer from Haryana’s Rohtak district, who was providing voluntary services at Tikri border protest site, died after sustaining serious head injuries when he fell off a tractor-trolley, police said on Tuesday.

Deepak was hospitalised at PGIMS, Rohtak where he died during treatment on Monday, Kuldeep Singh, SHO, Aasoda Police Station in Jhajjar district, said over the phone.

He said the accident took place at Bahadurgarh bypass road on February 5.

Deepak was sitting in the tractor-trolley and distributing ration (to farmers sitting in protest at Tikri). He fell down and sustained head injuries. He died during treatment at PGIMS Rohtak, the officer added.

Thousands of farmers have been protesting since late November at Delhi borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, demanding a rollback of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations.

However, the Centre has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture.