The demonstration by protesters demanding the arrest of the accused in the Jeevan Kundu murder case clashed with the police ahead of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s Independence Day programme in Hansi town on Saturday.As the protesters tried to march towards the Government College, where the CM was scheduled to hoist the Tricolour, heavy police deployment restrained them, leading to a clash. Initial reports indicate that several police personnel and protesters suffered injuries during the clashes.The confrontation took place at various points as the protesters, including activists of farmers’ bodies, social organisations and khap panchayats, tried to disrupt the CM’s flag-hoisting programme. They drove tractors and also marched on foot towards the college.The police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the protesters at some points, in which some protesters suffered injuries. The farmers then allegedly pelted the police with stones, in which some cops, including Hansi SP Vinod Kumar and a DSP, suffered minor injuries. The SP was seen covering his hand with a handkerchief to stop the bleeding. The farmers alleged that the police also resorted to stone-pelting during the clashes.Later, amid tight security, CM Saini reached the Government College to attend the event as the chief guest.The protesters had announced that they would disrupt the event in protest against the alleged failure of the police to arrest the main accused in the murder of Jeevan Kundu in Surya Nagar locality of Hisar on August 4 by his neighbour Ramesh Sharma and his aides. He was attacked with lathis and sharp-edged weapons by a group of about 12-14 persons, which led to his death.The Hisar police informed that nine of the accused had been arrested, while a reward of Rs 50,000 had been announced for information leading to the arrest of the main accused, Ramesh Sharma, who remains absconding.The Chief Minister is currently attending the programme at the Government College, which is under way amid tight security.