Ex-Akali leader in ‘Treetop protest’,says only Badal can ground him

The former Akali leader who is climbing on a eucalyptus tree for last three days,demanding compensation for his land acquired by a company,today said that he would come down only after Chief Minister of Punjab comes to meet him.

The former Akali leader who is climbing on a eucalyptus tree for last three days,demanding compensation for his land acquired by a company,today said that he would come down only after Chief Minister of Punjab comes to meet him.

“Only the Chief Minister can bring me down,” Avtar Singh Nagla said from the treetop.

He is alleging that his family never got compensation for their ancestral land acquired 30 years ago by Sukhna Paper Mill.

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However,the administration has produced the document to prove that

the amount was paid to his grandfather in 1983.

“His demands are illogical,irrational and unjustified,” Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Puneet Goyal said.

Police have arrested four persons,including Nagla’s brother for trespassing and also booked him for hatching a conspiracy on the complaint of ‘Shipra Estate Ltd’,police said today.

In his complaint,the company officials have alleged that Nagla’s brother along with three persons trespassed into their land at the behest of Nagla and threatened him and his colleagues,police said.

Meanwhile,police said Nagla would be arrested soon.

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Surviving on roasted gram,burgers and juice,Nagla has a battery of media-persons,policemen and supporters below.

He is sitting on a cot tied with the tree firmly in Nagla village,some 20 km from here.

To ease himself,he uses polythene bags and bottles.

To ward off anyone trying to climb the tree,he is armed with bag of stones and an axe.

Nagla’s land adjoins that of Shipra Estate Ltd which now owns the mill property.