Protesting against new farm Bills, farmer dies by suicide at Punjab’s Muktsar

Farmers hold placards during a demonstration against Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the passing of agriculture bills in the 'Lok Sabha' in Amritsar. (Source: AFP)

A 70-year-old farmer has died after consuming some poisonous substance during a protest against the new farm Bills in Muktsar district of Punjab, police said on Saturday.

Pritam Singh, a resident of Akkanwali village of Mansa district, consumed the poisonous substance Friday morning and died at a hospital later in the day, they said.

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Mr. Singh had been participating in the protest since September 15 which is being organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) at Badal village, the native of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal

The reason behind the farmer taking the extreme step is still not known, said the police.

The farmers’ body, however, claimed that he was under debt.

BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh demanded the administration give a compensation to the family of the deceased.