A 45-year-old farmer from Punjab was found hanging from a tree at the farmers’ protest site at the Singhu border on Wednesday morning. He was protesting against the Centre's farm laws.
According to Indian Express, the deceased has been identified as Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Amroh district in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib. He was associated with Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ekta Sidhupur.
“As per preliminary information, it appears to be a case of suicide. A probe has been initiated,” The Indian Express quoted Virender Singh, deputy superintendent of police (DSP), law and order, Sonipat as saying.
Kundli Police has sent the body for post-mortem and launched an investigation into the death of Gurpreet Singh.
Hundreds of farmers are encamped at Delhi borders with a demand that the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.
The Centre, which has held 11 rounds of formal dialogues with the farmers, has maintained that the new laws are pro-farmer, while protestors claim they would be left at the mercy of corporations because of the legislations.