The Punjab government has announced the immediate release of 450 additional farmers from police custody, following the release of approximately 800 farmers earlier, according to Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sukhchain Singh Gill.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has directed authorities to prioritise the release of specific groups, including women, differently-abled individuals, those with medical conditions, and individuals over the age of 60.
"In compliance with the Chief Minister’s orders, around 450 farmers will be released today," Gill stated on Monday.
In response to concerns raised by detained farmers regarding their confiscated belongings, the Punjab government has issued strict directives to ensure that no misappropriation occurs.
To facilitate the return of confiscated items, Patiala district police have appointed Superintendent of Police (SP) Jasbir Singh as the nodal officer. Farmers facing issues with their possessions can directly reach out to him at 90713-00002 for immediate assistance. Additionally, the Patiala police have already registered three FIRs related to missing belongings.
Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court was informed on Monday that farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal was not in police custody but had been admitted to a hospital in Patiala at his own request.
Justice Manisha Batra directed authorities to ensure that Dallewal’s family can visit him freely within the hospital premises.
This statement comes after a habeas corpus petition was filed on Friday by Gurmukh Singh, Vice President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba), claiming that Dallewal had been illegally detained without formal arrest procedures. The petition argued that his fundamental rights under Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution had been violated and sought court intervention to ensure the safety of other missing farmer leaders.
Dallewal, along with fellow farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, was detained on March 19 following a meeting with Union ministers in Chandigarh. Soon after, Punjab Police dismantled protest blockades at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders, where farmers had been demonstrating for over a year.
Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike for 119 days, was initially held at a PWD rest house in Jalandhar Cantonment before being shifted to a private hospital in Patiala on Sunday.
The petitioners argue that the detention is an attempt to suppress the farmers' movement, violating their constitutional rights to free speech, peaceful assembly, and association under Article 19.