Hisar: The standoff over the murder of Hansi-based dairy operator Jeevan Kundu eased on Monday after a five-member delegation of protesting farmers met chief minister Nayab Singh Saini in Chandigarh and secured assurances on its key demands, including release of arrested farm activists, withdrawal of cases registered during their agitation, and compensation and a govt job for Kundu’s widow.After the meeting, all 10 arrested farm activists were released on bail as police dropped serious charges invoked against them. The committee announced that Kundu’s last rites would be performed at his native village, Kinana, at 10am on Tuesday in the presence of the released activists.A spokesperson for the protesters, Joginder Ghasi Ram Nain, said the meeting with the CM lasted nearly two hours and the govt assured them that cases registered in connection with the agitation would be withdrawn. “The family was also assured compensation and a govt job for Kundu’s 28-year-old widow,” he said.The development came a day after a mahapanchayat at Hisar mini-secretariat decided to send a five-member delegation to Chandigarh for talks while threatening to block the Delhi-Sirsa and Chandigarh-Rajgarh national highways indefinitely from Aug 18 if the talks failed.Kundu was attacked by 10-12 youths with sticks and clubs over a minor issue in Hisar’s Surya Nagar and later died of his injuries. His body had been kept for 14 days as protesters demanded arrest of the main accused, Rs 1-crore compensation and a govt job for his widow, besides release of the arrested farmer activists and withdrawal of cases against them.The agitation had intensified after clashes between protesters and police at the Sisai bridge checkpoint during Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini’s Independence Day event in Hansi. Police alleged that protesters tried to drive tractors towards police personnel and pelted stones, injuring six policemen, including Hansi SP Vinod, a DSP and a CIA in-charge.Police had arrested 10 farm activists and booked them along with around 200 unidentified protesters under charges of attempt to murder, subversive activities and violations of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. A court had remanded the 10 leaders to 14 days in judicial custody on Sunday.
