Farmers Movement Archive

Punjab farmer dies of Covid at Singhu stir site

BATHINDA: A farmer, who died on Tuesday night at the protest site at Singhu border, tested positive for Covid-19. The farmer from Punjab’s Patiala district, Balbir Singh (50), had a fever, said the Sonipat district health authorities. Sources said the farmer, who was feeling unwell, was taken to a hospital on Tuesday evening where a rapid antigen test (RAT) was conducted on him. Sonipat civil surgeon Jaswant Singh Punia told TOI said that the farmer had a fever and he died on Tuesday night and added that his Covid report was found to be positive. The sources, however, claimed that two farmers at the Singhu had died of Covid-19 but the Sonipat health authorities only confirmed one death. The farm unions, which have been protesting at various Delhi border sites for almost six months now claim that the government wanted to spread fear among the protesters and the news of the farmer’s death by Covid-19 may be the outcome of that. Some of the farm leaders feigned ignorance about the farmer’s death due to Covid-19. Till now, only one Covid-19 death has been documented at the protest sites on the Delhi borders – that of a 25-year-old woman activist who died of Covid-19 on April 30. She was staying at the Tikri border protest site and was taken to a hospital on April 26 where she died. She had also complained about sexual assault by fellow protesters at the site.

The Times of India

2021-05-20

Amritsar