Hubli - Dharwad: Shortage of Fertilizers Angers Ryots

Daijiworld Media Network — Hubli/Dharwad (CN)

Hubli/Dharwad, Jun 9: Farmers from Hubli, Dharwad, Gulburga, Bidar, and Raichur, went on a rampage on Monday, June 9, protesting against a shortage of fertilizers in the region.

Several stores in these places had shut shop as they ran out of stock. The huge number of angry farmers destroyed public property worth thousands of rupees.

Pacifying the angry ryots and restoring normalcy in the region is the first real test that the new BJP government in the state is faced with. 

Chief Minister Yeddyurappa has spoken to the district-in-charge ministers of the affected areas and directed them to secure the release of seeds and fertilizers at the earliest.

The Hindu Report:

DHARWAD: Three buses and a jeep belonging to the Deputy Commissioner of Police were torched and 20 buses were damaged during violent protests by farmers over scarcity of fertilizers here on Monday.

The police resorted to lathi-charge and lobbed tear-gas shells to disperse the mob to bring the situation under control. Police Commissioner Narayan Nadamani told The Hindu that the situation was brought under control at around 6 p.m..

He said the vehicle of Deputy Commissioner of Police R. Dileep was torched by the mob near Regal Theatre in Dharwad, and Mr. Dileep had sustained minor injuries while trying to control the mob.

According to eye witnesses, the protest by farmers over inadequate supply of fertilizers was peaceful till 3 p.m. The farmers had blocked the Jubilee Circle, a prominent junction in Dharwad, from 11 a.m. Just after 3 p.m., the farmers began pelting stones at shops and buses.

One group marched towards the City Bus Station where it damaged a bus. Meanwhile, the crowd at Jubilee Circle became impatient and a bus belonging to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation was torched.

A few minutes later, two more buses were burnt. Another group set fire to a fertilizer shop belonging to Murugesh Kotur.

The police who were mute spectators to the incident, swung into action when additional forces arrived. They caned the protesters to disperse them. By then, Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad M.S. Srikar arrived on the scene.

After dispersing the crowd at Jubilee Circle, Mr. Dileep rushed to Regal Theatre where another group of protesters had gathered. The crowd torched his vehicle as soon as he alighted from it. Another jeep was also damaged.

Tear gas

The police then lobbed 20 tear-gas shells to bring the mobunder control.

Mr. Nadamani said anti-social elements and not farmers were responsible for the violence and steps were being taken to arrest them.