Activist Navdeep Singh Jalbera Detained Ahead of Farmers' Gathering on Sunday

Farmer activist Navdeep Singh Jalbera has been arrested by Haryana Police in connection with an FIR filed during the farmers’ “Delhi Chalo” protest last month. The arrest, made from Mohali on Thursday, precedes a gathering organized by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and Kisan Mukti Morcha (KMM) on Sunday to honor Shubhkaran Singh, a farmer from Bathinda, Punjab, who died in a clash with police at the Punjab-Haryana border on February 21.

Jalbera, famously known as the “water-cannon man” for his act of climbing atop a police water cannon during the farmers’ movement in November 2020, was produced in court and remanded in the custody of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of the Haryana Police for two days. According to police, Jalbera faces charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 307 (attempt to murder) and assault on police personnel, stemming from a case registered on February 13. His lawyer, Rohit Jain, stated that Jalbera and two others have been arrested in connection with the case, which also names several top farmer leaders. 

Farmers have refuted the charges against them. The court was informed by police that Jalbera's remand is necessary to locate his car and weapons allegedly used during the agitation. Farmers at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana have vowed to continue their protest until their demands, including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, are met.SKM and KMM are leading the “Delhi Chalo” march to urge the BJP-led Centre to address their demands. Farmers from Punjab have been stationed at the border points since February 13.