A 2020 image of a farmer lying lifeless on the streets in Bathinda, Punjab is doing rounds with a false claim that it shows a protester collapsing during the farmers' stir against the farm bills.
The image is viral with a Hindi caption that reads, ''Today another martyred in farmers' movement The martyr farmer will win true respect, the farmer will lose pride Jai jawan jai kisan.'' (Original text: ''आज एक और किसान आंदोलन में शहीद हो गया शहीद किसान को सत सत नमन जीतेगा किसान हारेगा अभिमान जय जवान जय किसान।''). According to reports, at least 70 farmers have lost their lives at the protest sites in and around the Delhi borders. Farmers' unions have been protesting against the three contentious farm bills and have camped themselves at the three borders of Delhi.
Archive can be seen here.
Viral image claiming an old farmer died at the ongoing farmers' protest site
The caption viral with the image in Bangla reads, ''Our country's farmers - injured, sick and oppressed by the new agricultural law made by the Narendra Modi government.'' (Original caption:''আমাদের দেশের কৃষক - আহত, অসুস্থ এবং নরেন্দ্র মোদী সরকারের তৈরি নয়া কৃষি আইন দ্বারা অত্যাচারিত'')
Archive of the post can be seen here.
Viral image of dead farmer with Bangla caption
The same image is also being shared with other images from the borders of Delhi. One such tweet, shared in Bangla, spreads a similar narrative, ''Farmers in India have been protesting for more than 120 days in the face of severe cold and heavy rains demanding the repeal of three anti-farmer agricultural laws by the BJP government, which has claimed the lives of more than 63 farmers.@BJP4India The government failed to solve their problem #KrishokBirodhiBJP''
Archive can be seen here.
Also read: Unrelated Images Peddled As Farmer Injured After Clash With Police
Fact Check
BOOM ran a reverse image search on the photo and found a Facebook post by an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Jagraon (Punjab), Sarvjit Kaur Manuke. Manuke posted the same image on July 1, 2020. The caption of the post in Punjabi states that a senior leader of the Farmer Union died protesting over the closure of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant, Bathinda.
We searched with some relevant keywords and found news reports on the incident. Fifty-five-year-old farmer Joginder SIngh was found dead at the spot at Bathinda. A report by The Indian Express from July 2, 2020, stated that Joginder Singh, from Cheema village of Sangrur district, started his protest at 7am and was found lying dead around 10 am. According to the report, he was carrying a flag of Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) and a placard on which it was mentioned that he is sacrificing his life to protest against the decision of selling the land of the thermal plant. "Following Singh's death, farmer unions launched a protest demanding Rs 10 lakh compensation, job for a family member and re-starting of the thermal plant," reported the Indian Express.
Further, we found a report on Punjab Kesari , from July 1, 2020. The report states that the Punjab government had given a permanent order to shut down Shri Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant Bathinda, due to which there was anger among people.
Report in Punjab Kesari on the 55 year old dead farmer at Bathinda
Also read: Video Of Delhi Cops Chanting Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan Viral With Fake Claim
