'Delhi Chalo': Punjab youth who turned off water cannon booked for attempt to murder, rioting, violation of COVID rules

Even as the farmers protest may intensify in the coming days, after support from their counterparts in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, who will join the stir in the next few days, there is something more to worry about.

A day after the son of a farmers' body leader stole the limelight during the 'Delhi Chalo' march, the youth has been booked under charges of attempted murder which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Navdeep, the son of local farmer activist, Jai Singh of Jalbera village of Ambala district, has been charged with attempt to murder, rioting and violation of COVID-19 rules.

He is among those booked with Bharatiya Kisan Union Haryana president Gurnam Singh Charuni. The case was registered at Parao police station on Thursday.

Navdeep stole the limelight when in a viral video he is braving police lathis to climb and turn off the water cannon tap and jumping back onto a tractor-trolley during the farmers' protest.

The video went viral on social media and he was termed as the 'hero' of the protest.

One twitter user by the name Gulabo wrote, 'Navdeep Singh is a HERO and will always be! He risked it all to go shut that water cannon off and afterward did not bash police saying they too are the sons of farmers and are only doing their job. He went on with his tractor to go help break barricades! #KisaanEktaZindabad.'

Another user Vijay Pratap Singh Aditya wrote, 'Sometimes all it needs is a leap of faith to birth a revolution. Thank you Navdeep Singh for rekindling that hope by stopping the Cannon of the State #FarmersRevolution.'

As the news of Navdeep Singh being booked under various charges, hit the headlines, people are taking to social media to stand in support.

On Saturday morning one user Ash J wrote, 'Hailed as a hero on social media after the video was widely shared, 26-year-old Navdeep Singh had climbed the blue water cannon vehicle showering protesting farmers in the middle of a north Indian cold wave on Wednesday as they braved brutish attempts to block their march.'

One user named Indias Muslims showed surprise as he wrote, 'Farmer Protest 'Hero' Who Turned Off Water Cannon Charged With Attempt To Murder!!.' 

This incident was said to have taken place near Kurukshetra in Haryana. Navdeep is a graduate and was protesting along with farmers from over 250 villages.

After the day-long confrontation at Delhi-Haryana borders, the Delhi Police on Friday finally allowed thousands of farmers to enter Delhi for a planned protest against the new Central farm laws.

The police made necessary arrangements at Nirankari ground in Burari after giving permission to the protesting farmers to enter Delhi and stage protest at the designated ground.