Punjab farmers force official to set stubble on fire, CM condemns incident

Farmers in Punjab allegedly compelled a government official, part of a team aimed at preventing crop fires, to set a pile of paddy stubble ablaze in Bathinda district.

The incident has drawn strong condemnation from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He said an FIR will be filed.

Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray reported that he has requested the senior superintendent of police to register an FIR against the farmers who hindered the official from performing his duties.

A purported video of the entire incident emerged on social media.

This incident took place in Mehma Sarja village on Friday when a team led by a special supervisor arrived to investigate incidents of stubble burning.

The official found himself surrounded by 50-60 farmers associated with a farmers' organisation, who took him to a nearby field and forced him to ignite a heap of stubble. A video captured the farmers stating that those attempting to stop stubble burning were required to ignite the crop residue. The video also showed two farmers holding the official's hand while using a matchstick to set the stubble on fire.

The Chief Minister has condemned this incident as an "inhuman crime" against the people of the state, and he affirmed that the state government would not tolerate such "lawlessness" and "anarchy." He stated that he has directed the police to identify the individuals responsible for this "misdeed" and take legal action.

Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana has been a significant contributor to the surge in air pollution levels in the national capital during October and November. In Punjab alone, there were 12,813 stubble-burning incidents reported by Friday, according to data from the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre.