On the 6th of June, 2017, 22-year-old student, Poonamchand, otherwise known as Babloo Jagdish Patidar, was gunned down during a peaceful protest in Mandsaur, India.
Babloo, along with 5 other non-land owning protesters, had been protesting wages and a state of precarity that increasingly became a characteristic of farmer, and non-farmer life, alike in the region.
Babloo was from a neighboring village not 25km from the Pipliya Mandi police station. While pursuing a degree in science, Babloo found himself having to give up the degree following the loss of his father and needing to attend to family land concerns.
Unfortunately, police soon opened fire on him and others killing 5 protesters in total. According to his friend who was present, Babloo was drinking water when he was shot in the chest by a passing police vehicle, without warning.
Since the event, however, the congress in India had provided financial compensation of up to 50k Indian Rupies to the victims collectively.
Babloo leaves behind his young wife and ailing mother.