Farmers' protest: Punjab mechanic burnt alive after car catches fire; no foul play, says police

A mechanic from Punjab who  travelled to Delhi to express solidarity with the farmers protesting against the Centre’s farm law was burnt alive after his car caught fire in the intervening night ōf Saturday and Sunday, according to several media reports. Fifty five-year-old Janak Raj from Punjab’s Dhanola travelled to the National Capital to repair tractors being used by protesting farmers, as per Indian Express. Jhajjar SP Rajesh Duggai was quoted by Indian Express as saying, “The farmers told us that they stopped at Bahadurgarh at 11.30 pm because one of their tractors needed repairing. After some time, Raj went to sleep inside his Swift car. Around 1.30 am, the car caught fire and the man died while he was sleeping.” Police said they inspected the spot and that they did not suspect any foul play, as per the report. The Jhajjar Police  tweeted that the fire was caused by a short circuit inside the car. The Times of India reported that Raj is survived by his wife, a daughter and son, who runs tuition classes. The report quoted his son Sahil as saying, “My father had gone to Delhi with a tractor mechanic on Saturday afternoon in a Swift car to support mechanics in repairing tractors. We got the information in the morning about him dying in the car. We have yet to get more details.” Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal said Raj’s name “will be immortalised” in the movement. “It was saddening to learn of the death of Janak Raj, a hard worker of the Indian Farmers Union (Ugrahan) who was working as a tractor repairman in the Kisan Andolan, in a fire accident near Bahadurgarh (Delhi-Haryana border). His name will also be immortalized in the history of the peasant movement,” she tweeted. With inputs from agencies