Tension prevailed at the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) office in Rampura Phul after Bharti Kisan Union (Sidhupur) activists confined the BDPO in a washroom following a heated argument over a road issue. BDPO was confined around 1.30 pm and hadn’t been released by 7 pm.Farmers alleged the BDPO used foul language during a meeting, prompting them to confine him.“Two SHOs were also present in the meeting. When BDPO Nirmal Singh Brar was not ready to listen to us, we decided to leave. At that point, he hurled expletives. Irate over it, we confined him in a washroom attached to his office. Some people intervened, otherwise the situation could have worsened,” said Kaka Singh Kotra, state general secretary, BKU (Sidhupur).“We demand immediate registration of an FIR against the BDPO or his suspension. Officials are assuring us that he is ready to apologise, but we will not let him go until disciplinary action is taken against him,” Kotra added.The issue involves a damaged road in the Kotra Korianwala village. Police and officials are trying to defuse the situation, but protesters refuse to disperse without action.Bathinda DC Rajesh Dhiman said, “District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) Abhinav Goyal and a DSP are holding talks with the protesting farmers.”