Chandigarh, 17 January 2025: In a major development in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2022 Punjab security breach case, the court has issued arrest warrants for 25 farmers linked to the incident.
Charges of attempted murder, among others, have been added to the case, significantly escalating its severity.
The farmers, allegedly associated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Revolutionary) and the Inqilabi Pendu Mazdoor Union of Ferozepur district, are now facing charges under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant), 341 (wrongful restraint), 186 (obstructing public servant), and 149 (unlawful assembly), along with section 8-B of the National Highways Act. Initially, the case was registered under section 283 for blocking a public road.
The incident occurred on January 5, 2022, when the Prime Minister’s convoy was halted for nearly 20 minutes on a Ferozepur flyover due to road blockades by protesting farmers.
Modi, who had been traveling by road because of poor weather, was en route to Hussainiwala Memorial to honor martyrs and was scheduled to address a rally in Ferozepur.
Following the blockade, the Prime Minister returned to Delhi, later reportedly remarking to airport officials in Bathinda, “Express my gratitude to your Chief Minister that I was able to reach Bathinda airport alive.”
Summons issued recently brought the case back into focus, culminating in the latest action by the court.
The three-year-old matter, originally centered on protests, has now raised concerns over the broader implications for security protocols and accountability.
