Farmers' protest: Tension in part of Belagavi district as miscreants pelt stones

Belagavi (Karnataka), Nov 7 (PTI) Tension prevailed in a part of this district on Friday during the farmers' protest demanding a procurement price of Rs 3,500 per tonne of sugarcane, as some miscreants allegedly resorted to stone pelting, police said.

Some police personnel suffered injuries and few vehicles were damaged during the incident near the Hattargi toll in Hukkeri taluk here, they said.

When police were evicting some protesters, who tried to block the Pune-Bengaluru highway, some miscreants allegedly pelted stones at the police personnel and vehicles.

According to police the situation is now under control and the vehicle movement on the highway has been restored.

Clarifying that no force was used by the police during the incident, Belagavi SP Bheemashankar S Guled said, a case will be registered regarding the stone pelting, miscreants behind it will be identified, and action will be taken against them.

"When the police were evicting the protesters from the national highway, some people, probably some miscreants, started pelting stones. At that point of time the police department in its considered wisdom, because of its discipline, and also self control, did not resort to use of any force, and dealt with the situation tactically," he told reporters.

Taking farmers' leaders into confidence, it was ensured that the highway was cleared for the traffic, he further said, "some vehicles have been damaged during the stone pelting and it is being assessed. Six police personnel are injured and they have been shifted to hospital for treatment." Distancing themselves from the incident, farmers' leaders said, stone pelters were not farmer protesters, and it was the work of some miscreants, to bring a bad name to their agitation.

Sugarcane farmers' protest at Gurlapur Cross in Mudalagi taluk of Belagavi district entered ninth day on Friday. It has also spread across various parts of north Karnataka districts like Belagavi, Bagalkote, Vijayapura, Haveri among others.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday made an announcement fixing procurement price of sugarcane, yielding 11.25 per cent recovery, at Rs 3,300 per tonne. PTI KSU ADB