Farmers' protest: Tension prevailed 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 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.

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.

With the protest intensifying, CM Siddaramaiah has called for a meeting with farmer leaders and representatives of sugar factories on Friday. PTI KSU ADB