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RAIPUR: A 68-year-old farmer, part of a protest by people affected by land acquisition for the new capital city of Chhattisgarh, died near the agitation site on Friday, officials said.
Officials said that the exact cause of the death of farmer, who was identified as Siyaram Patel is yet to be ascertained and investigation is going on.
“Village-wise counters were prepared to accept the applications from the farmers… The counters were operational from 11am on Friday and during this process, Patel fainted and fell down. Patel was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead,” said collector Raipur Saurabh Kumar, in a statement. The body has been sent for autopsy.
“Patel’s son Heeralal Patel that he was a patient of high blood pressure and was taking medication for it,” said the official.
Farmers of 27 villages in Raipur district’s Nava Raipur Atal Nagar have been agitating under the banner of Nayi Rajdhani Priyojna Prabhavit Kisan Kalyan Samiti (NRPPKKS) since January to seek better rehabilitation and compensation.
On Friday, the farmers had taken out a foot march towards the secretariat building to submit applications in connection with their demand where Patel fainted and died.
The protesting farmers have demanded adequate compensation to the kin of the deceased from the administration.
“Patel had been actively taking part in the protest for the last two months. It is unfortunate that he passed away. We pray that his soul rests in peace. We all farmers are with his family in this difficult time,” Girdhar Patel, spokesperson of NRPPKKS said in a statement.
The government earlier constituted a cabinet sub-committee to consider the demand of the protesters. This panel accepted six of the eight demands last month, a government official said.
Girdhar said the government was yet to address the demands.
Chhattisgarh BJP president Vishnudeo Sai held chief minister Bhupesh Baghel responsible for the farmer’s death.
“Baghel came to power by doing cheap politics in the name of farmers and now forcing the farmers of the state to commit suicide during his tenure… This is shameful that Baghel was not able to redress the issue of farmers in the state capital,” Sai added.
(With inputs from PTI)
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