Punjab CM bans tractor stunts after 29-year-old gets crushed to death in Gurdaspur

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday announced a ban on stunts with tractors, after a 29-year-old man was crushed to death during a performance at a rural sports event in Gurdaspur district.

The incident, which was captured on video by a few spectators and was shared online, triggered demands in some quarters to prohibit such dangerous stunts - a common site at sports events in rural areas in Punjab.

“Dear Punjabis, a tractor is called king of fields. Do not make it a messenger of death. A ban is being imposed on any kind of stunt or dangerous performance with a tractor and related implements in Punjab…rest of details soon,” Mann posted on X.

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Sukhmandeep Singh was performing the stunt at the fair in Sarchur village in Fatehgarh Churian on Saturday when the incident occurred.

The stuntman was trying to climb onto a tractor when the vehicle was standing on its rear tyres and its engine was revving. He fell when one of his feet got dragged in the mud and was eventually run over by the tractor.

He was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries.

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Performing stunts not only fetches youths cash prizes at such events but also earns them popularity and some even post their videos on social media.

In some villages, tournaments are held where tractor drivers engage in high-octane face-offs with vehicles. It is called ‘tractor tochan mukabla’ (tractor tug of war) where two tractors are fastened to an iron rod.

These stuntmen make adjustments in their vehicles so that they can lift the front wheels of the tractors and drive it on just rear wheels and carry out other such stunts.