Madala (Jalandhar), March 10: Farmers of Giddarpindi village alleged that a senior Akali leader, who is close to a Punjab Minister, has encroached upon a government thoroughfare.

They alleged that besides encroaching the access road, measuring 1.5 kanals, the leader has been harassing them for the past over a year. This despite the fact that the Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner (DC) had passed orders for vacating the way on October 24, 2006.

Kulwinder Singh and other farmers of Giddarpindi village, in a complaint to the DC office, had alleged that that their land falls in Madala village in Shahkot and is connected by the thoroughfare. They alleged that as Akali leader Ranjod Singh and sarpanch of Barajot Singh village had encroached the way, they have to take a longer route to reach their fields.

Kulwinder said this issue had led to clashes a number of times and even cases were registered against them.

However, the Akali leader claimed that in lieu of that access road, he had provided a way to the farmers from his own land. Ranjod said as the tehsildar had demarcated the land recently, he would vacate it after the wheat crop was harvested.

He also said that earlier, the access road was allotted to them, but later it was taken back.

Source: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Akali-leader-has-his-way/282951/