Chandigarh, Mar 28 (UNI) About 1500 farmers were detained and kept in different jails across Punjab, Farmer leader Kaka Singh Kotra, released from Patiala jail, claimed on Friday.
He said that Jagjit Singh Dallewal, after the farmers were detained on March 19 minutes after their meeting with Union government as well as Punjab ministers, had not taken a drop of water and due to this the government was pressurised to release the detained farmers.
Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said that 48 farmers were released from Patiala jail early this morning.
Kotra said that from 0230 hrs today, the government began to release farmer leaders also. Earlier, the government was ready to release the farmers but adamant on keeping farmer leaders in custody, the farmer leader said, adding that Dallewal has made it clear that he won't take water until all the detained farmers were released.
The Punjab government on Thursday had told Punjab and Haryana High Court that Dallewal was not detained but was admitted to a hospital.
IG Sukhchain Singh, a couple of days back, had said that 800 out of 1400 farmers were released already and 450 farmers including women above the age of 60 or having health conditions will be released on last Monday itself.
The farmer leaders said that they will meet Dallewal today and discuss the next course of action.
The HC, while disposing off a habeas corpus petition on Thursday had directed the government to allow family members, friends or anyone to meet Dallewal in hospital.
Meanwhile, Dallewal accepted to drink water after the farmers' release began late last night.
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