A 65-year-old farmer from Punjab, who was among the many farmers gathered at the Shambhu border for the 'Dilli Chalo' protest, passed away early Friday morning due to a heart attack. Gyan Singh, hailing from Chacheki village in Gurdaspur district, was resting in a trolley with five other farmers approximately a kilometer away from the Shambhu barrier site when he began to feel unwell around 3 am.
Farmer died after being shifted to hospital
An ambulance parked near Shambhu police station was called to take him to Rajpura civil hospital. However, Singh was referred to Rajindra Medical College, Patiala, as he was feeling breathless. He received oxygen assistance in the ambulance. The ambulance arrived at the medical college by 5 am, but unfortunately, he passed away around 7:45 am at the hospital.
Patiala Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray verified the fatality, stating, “The farmer has died of cardiac arrest as per medical records."
Deceased was associated with KMSC
Gyan Singh was affiliated with the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC), which is part of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM). The farmers have been rallying following a call for a 'Dilli Chalo' march from farmer organisations such as KMSC and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political).
Gyan Singh was unmarried and resided with his nephews. The family owns approximately 1.5 acres of property.
Inhaled tear gas, was feeling uneasy: Deceased's nephew
Gyan Singh's nephew Jagdish was quoted by the Indian Express as saying, “On February 13, when shelling started, my uncle had gone near that location where tear gas shells were being lobbed. He inhaled it and had been feeling uneasy since then. He had even taken medicine from a stall set up by Khalsa aid…he was in the trolley since February 11 as we left our village on February 11, halted at Beas and reached Fatehgarh Sahib on February 12."
