Farmers Movement Archive

Stray bull hits bike, kills villager

Ludhiana: A 31-year-old resident of Jangpur village, Mullanpur Dakha, was killed and his friend injured after a stray bull hit their motorcycle in Dhanaula, Barnala, around 8am on Tuesday.Deceased Harminder Singh was driving the motorcycle and his friend, Gurjeet Singh, also of Jangpur, was riding pillion. They were on way home from Tikri border, Delhi, when the accident took place.Gurjeet said, “Our village had collected firewood for farmers protesting at Delhi borders. On a bike, Harminder and I escorted the truck loaded with firewood to Tikri border four days ago. The truck returned the next day to bring people to Tikri border. On Tuesday, we left for our village on Harminder’s bike.”When they reached near Dhanaula, Barnala, a stray bull was running in the middle of the road. “The bull hit a car and then our bike. Harminder received severe injuries and I escaped with minor ones,” he added. Two men of their village, who were ahead of them on their bike, came to their rescue. They called an ambulance and rushed Harminder to a nearby hospital. He was referred to Barnala civil hospital and then to Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), Ludhiana. However, when he reached CMCH, doctors declared him dead. Gurjeet said, “Around 7am, Harminder had called up his mother and asked her to prepare breakfast for him, as he would be home in one-and-a-half hour. It was his last call to his family.” Harminder, who worked at a welding shop in his village, is survived by his elderly parents, wife and two children, including an 8-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son. His father is a labourer. Tajinder Singh, Janpur president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) said, “Harminder’s family is poor. He had been to the Delhi borders a couple of times to support the protesting farmers. We have given a representation to deputy commissioner Varinder Sharma, seeking compensation for the family and a government job.”

The Times of India

2020-12-23

Ludhiana