The police resorted to a mild lathicharge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the agitated mob. Six police personnel, including one inspector and four farmers, sustained minor injuries in the incident. The situation continued to be tense and intense security measures have been taken.

Ban orders have been imposed under Section 144 of CrPC till 6 am of November 11. To assist in the security measures, additional police forces have been requisitioned from Bijapur and Belgaum.

Call for bundh

The farmers called for a Mudhol bundh on Tuesday to protest againt the conflicting statements on sugar cane prices made by Nirani who is also the chairman of Nirani Group which includes Nirani Sugars Limited.

The agitating farmers deflated the tyres of the trucks which were carrying sugar cane to Nirani’s sugar factory.

There was a verbal duel over the incident between the administrative staff of the factory and the farmers following which they pelted stones at Nirani’s house. They also set fire to two-wheelers which they found in the vicinity.

When the situation went out of control, the police resorted to a mild lathicharge and lobbed tear gas to disperse the mob. Those injured have been admitted to a hospital.
Deputy Commissioner A M Kunjappa and Superintendent of Police Abhishek Goel visited the spot and brought the situation under control.

Clarification

On Saturday, Sangamesh Nirani, executive director of Nirani Sugars Ltd, Mudhol, announced that the sugar factory would pay the same price for sugar cane as the other sugar factories in the district.

The announcement was made at a meeting of the administrative staff of the sugar factory and the farmers. With this announcement, the farmers came forward to supply suger cane to the factory.

However, on Sunday Sangamesh Nirani said the factory would not give the same price as other factories in the district, but only Rs 1,800 per tonne. This ambiguity triggered the agitation by the farmers.