Patiala: Tensions flared in Jahlan village of Patiala district on Wednesday after a confrontation between the protesting farmers and the police during an attempt to acquire disputed land for the construction of the Sirhind-Bhawanigarh bypass under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project.The unrest began when the police arrived to facilitate the land acquisition process, which farmers alleged was conducted forcibly despite the ongoing legal dispute over the ownership.According to farmer representatives, approximately 18 acres of agricultural land —currently the subject of a nearly two-decade-long court battle — was being acquired without proper resolution or compensation.“The land was once under the ownership of a Dera headed by Amolak Singh. Since 1952, however, there has been no legal owner, and the land has remained under the possession of cultivators who have been tilling it for over 119 years,” said Ranjit Singh, president of the BKU (Krantikari), Patiala.“For the last 20 years, these farmers, around 15 families, have fought in court for legal ownership rights and matter is sub-judice in the court. We demand a fair settlement and compensation,” said Ranjit Singh.Farmers, including many women, have been protesting at the site for the last month and a half. Wednesday morning, the police briefly detained around 40 protesters. They were released in the evening.“There was no use of force or lathicharge. A few farmers were detained as a preventive measure and released after a few hours,” said Fateh Singh Brar, DSP, Samana. “The land acquisition has proceeded peacefully. The compensation for the land has already been deposited in court. Though the ownership case is sub-judice, there is currently no stay on acquisition.”Authorities claimed that legal procedures were followed, with the compensation amount kept with the appropriate judicial forum. However, farmer unions continued to insist that acquisition should not proceed until the legal dispute was resolved and compensation was ensured for those who had cultivated the land for generations.The incident reignited debates over land rights and fair compensation, especially in cases where legal clarity remained pending.
