Reports of the death emerged hours after a Sikh priest committed suicide yesterday. (Figurative)
New Delhi:
A farmer protesting near the Delhi-Haryana border died this morning, reportedly from the cold. The man, a father of three, was found dead at a site where thousands of farmers have been protesting for 22 days against central farm laws.
The farmer had three children, ages 10, 12 and 14, according to reports suggesting he died of cold.
Reports of the death came hours after a Sikh priest died by suicide about 2 km from the epicenter of the protests on the Delhi-Haryana border. Baba Ram Singh, a Gurdwara priest in Haryana, had strongly supported the protests and left a note saying he was “angry and hurt” by the injustice of the government.
More than 20 protesters have died since the unrest began in late November, farmers groups say. Many are believed to have suffered due to increased winter cold and a cold snap in northern India.
Many have been visiting farmers, who have occupied various points on the roads near Delhi, with blankets and heaters. Protesters are also seen lighting fires to keep warm, determined to stay for a long time.
“We are fighting the cold and we will continue to fight the cold, until our demands are met. We will not give in even if it rains,” said a protester in the Ghazipur border area, as quoted by the ANI news agency.
Temperatures have dropped to around five degrees or less in and around Delhi in recent days. Daytime temperatures have also dropped more than four degrees below normal.
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