A five-member delegation from a dharna committee in Hisar left for Chandigarh on Sunday to hold talks with the Chief Minister over demands relating to the Jeevan Kundu murder case, officials and protest organisers said. The delegation was invited by the Haryana government amid rising tensions at the protest site outside the Mini Secretariat in Hisar.
Protesters press three core demands
The delegation is expected to press for three principal demands: the immediate arrest of the main accused in the murder of Jeevan Kundu, the release of 10 farmer activists detained after a clash in Hansi, and relief for the deceased's family, participants said. The 10 activists were produced before a court and subsequently remanded to judicial custody; they were later sent to Bhondsi Jail, Gurugram.
A panchayat of various social organisations and farmers' bodies linked to the dharna committee was held at the protest site outside the Mini Secretariat in Hisar before the delegation left. The gathering vocally opposed the arrests in Hansi and demanded the immediate release of the detained activists.
Mediation and political involvement
Sources said a BJP leader from Barwala mediated between the state government and the dharna committee, after which the five-member team departed for Chandigarh. The composition of the delegation and the exact time of the meeting with the Chief Minister were not disclosed.
The All India Kisan Sabha also sent a separate delegation to the protest. Its national treasurer, Krishan Prasad, vice-president Inderjit Singh and state president Master Balbir criticised the state government’s handling of the matter and issued an ultimatum: they demanded that the main accused be arrested within 24 hours or face unspecified consequences, according to participants.
Allegations against police
Inderjit Singh demanded the immediate suspension of the Hansi Superintendent of Police, alleging the officer was seen taking part in stone-pelting. He also condemned the filing of serious criminal charges against the arrested farmer leaders and their subsequent detention, the panchayat said.
Protest organisers warned that if talks in Chandigarh failed to deliver a satisfactory outcome, demonstrators would move to obstruct key transport routes. The panchayat announced plans to block the Hisar-Delhi, Hisar-Sirsa and Hisar-Chandigarh national highways as a next step.
- Delegation size: Five members
- Key demands: Arrest of main accused, release of 10 activists, relief for Jeevan Kundu's family
- Potential action: Blockade of three national highways
Local law-and-order implications
The threat to block major national highways raises immediate law-and-order and traffic management concerns for regional authorities, given the potential impact on movement between Hisar, Delhi, Sirsa and Chandigarh. The state government’s decision to invite a delegation signals an attempt to defuse tensions through official talks.
So far, participants at the Hisar protest have described the government invitation and mediation as a cautious step towards dialogue. The panchayat said it would await the outcome of the Chandigarh meeting before deciding on further action.
| Issue | Status / Action |
|---|---|
| Arrest of main accused in Jeevan Kundu case | Demanded; to be raised in Chandigarh meeting |
| Release of 10 arrested activists | Activists remanded to judicial custody; protest demands release |
| Possible protest escalation | Highway blockades threatened if talks fail |
Authorities in Hisar and Chandigarh had not issued any public statement detailing the meeting schedule or indicating whether any senior police officials would be present. The panchayat said it would reconvene to decide next steps depending on the response received in Chandigarh.
The developments follow heightened public attention to the murder case in the district and underline persistent tensions between protest groups and law enforcement in parts of Haryana. The state government's move to engage the delegation reflects an effort to manage those tensions through negotiation rather than immediate coercive action.
