A court in Punjab’s Ferozpur district has issued arrest warrants for 25 farmers in connection with a security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state in 2022, The Indian Express reported on Friday.

The farmers are members of the Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari) and Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union.

On January 5, 2022, Modi had to abort his visit to Ferozepur triggering a massive political controversy. His convoy was stranded on a flyover for more than 15 minutes as protesters blocked the road to Hussainiwala village in the district. The Union government had described it a “major security lapse”.

However, Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi, who was the Punjab chief minister at the time, had dismissed the claim. He had said there was no threat to the prime minister and that Modi had made a sudden change of plans.

A first information report was initially filed in the matter on January 6, 2022, on charges of obstructing public way. However, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders criticised the charges as “weak”.

This reportedly prompted the formation of a three-member Special Investigation Team. Following the investigation, additional charges, including attempt to murder, assault on a public servant, wrongful restraint and unlawful assembly were added.

The FIR named 26 individuals, including Baldev Singh Zira, the general secretary of Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari) and other union members. However, no arrests were made. One of the persons accused in the case, Major Singh, has since passed away, reported The Indian Express.

The latest arrest warrants were issued by a Ferozepur court on January 3 after those accused in the case failed to appear before the court despite repeated summonses. The court has now instructed the Kulgarhi police station house officer to arrest and present the 25 persons before it by January 22.

The Superintendent of Police (Investigation), Randhir Kumar, told The Indian Express that the investigation is underway.

The newspaper quoted unidentified officials as saying that raids were being carried out to apprehend those accused in the case.

Surjeet Singh Phul, president of Bharatiya Kisan Union Krantikari, told The Indian Express that Kamaljeet Singh, one of the accused, had applied for anticipatory bail, but his plea was rejected by District Sessions Judge Varinder Aggarwal on January 14.

“Punjab Police has been sending arrest warrants to the accused and visiting their homes, pressuring family members to join the investigation,” Phul alleged. “This is being done at the behest of the central government to target protesting farmers.”

“By conducting raids, the police aim to force farmers into hiding, who are otherwise engaged in protests at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders,” Phul said.

He warned the government not to target farmers, adding that the attempt-to-murder charges are baseless, as no confrontation took place on the flyover where Modi’s convoy was stranded. “We were peacefully protesting against the PM’s visit as per the call of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM),” he said.

Farmers have been protesting at Shambhu and Khanauri, on the inter-state border between Haryana and Punjab, since February 2024.

Along with the legal guarantee for minimum support price, they have also been demanding the implementation of the MS Swaminathan Commission’s wider recommendations for agricultural reform. The farmers have alleged that the Union government has not taken steps to address their demands.