UP farmer falls ill during protest at Ghazipur border, dies

AGRA: A 60-year-old

farmer

of UP’s Kasganj district who fell ill at a protest site near

Ghazipur

border succumbed at a private hospital in Moga, Punjab on Friday. Lakhvinder Singh was an active member of

Bharatiya Kisan Union

(

BKU

) and was popular among the farming community.

A former block development council member, Singh was a resident of Mirapur village under Sahawar sub-division of Kasganj district. On December 29, he went to Ghazipur border to participate in the farmer protest against the Centre's three new

farm laws

.

According to local residents, the deceased farmer owned 20 acres of farm land. He was head of the Mirapur Gurdwara Management Committee. Regarded as “Pradhan ji”, Singh was known for helping the needy.

Gurcharan Singh, a relative of the deceased farmer, said, “In 1980, several families from Punjab had shifted to Kasganj district. Lakvinder Singh along with his family had been living in Mirapur village for 40 years. Following his spirit of community service, he had earned respect in society. He was deeply passionate about farm issues. On December 29, he went to protest against the three farm laws at Ghazipur border.”

His son Harpreet Singh said, “After the severe cold wave and rain on January 1 and 2, my father fell sick at the protest site. He had high fever and chest pain. Later, when his health condition worsened, we sent him to Moga at my elder brother's place. He was admitted at a private hospital there and died on Wednesday night. Our entire family is devastated.”

Kasganj district president of BKU Sanjay Prajapati said, “The deceased farmer Lakhvinder Singh was BKU's Mirapur village president. He died for farmers rights. He will be remembered as a martyr."

“We demand the central and state governments to provide Rs 10 lakh monetary assistance to the family of the deceased farmer and a government job to one of his family members," he added.