Belagavi Tensions Flare: Farmer Leader Chunappa Poojary Detained Amid 'Jail Bharo' Stir
Tensions rise in Belagavi as police detain Chunappa Poojary and hundreds of farmers during a 'Jail Bharo' protest over sugarcane prices.
The city of Belagavi witnessed a surge in tension on Thursday as police intervened to stop a massive 'Jail Bharo' protest organized by farmers' associations. In a significant move to maintain law and order, authorities detained prominent farmer leader Chunappa Poojary along with hundreds of other protesters who had converged at Muktimath.
The Core Conflict: Sugarcane Pricing
The unrest stems from the farmers' growing frustration over the pricing of their produce. The protesting groups are demanding that the Karnataka Chief Minister announce a State Advised Price (SAP) support of Rs 1,000 per tonne of sugarcane. This requested amount is intended to be provided over and above the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) already set by the Central Government.
Before his detention, Chunappa Poojary remained defiant, asserting that the movement would not be silenced. "Our struggle will not stop," he declared, signaling a continued battle for the rights of the farming community.
Police Crackdown and Prohibitory Orders
To prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, Belagavi City Police Commissioner Prakash Nikam imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 across the city. The Commissioner explained that these measures were necessary to ensure that essential services were not disrupted, specifically citing the need to protect students and patients from the chaos of the protests.
Addressing the detentions, Commissioner Nikam clarified the nature of the police action:
"Today we had requested the farmers. Many of them cooperated. Some of them we have detained and sent to different places. Around 100 people we have detained. Only detained, not arrested," the Commissioner stated.
Allegations of Police Apathy and Medical Negligence
While the police maintained that the detentions were preventive, the situation took a dark turn during the transit of protesters toward Gokak. Farmer groups have leveled serious allegations of apathy against the security personnel.
According to the protesters, a farmer who had a history of heart surgery fell critically ill while in police custody. The farmer groups claim that despite desperate pleas to stop the vehicle and seek immediate medical help, the police allegedly abandoned the ailing man in a deserted area near Basapura village.
The aggrieved farmers reported that they eventually found the man in the deserted area and rushed him to the Basapura Primary Health Centre for emergency treatment.
A Growing Statewide Movement
The events in Belagavi are not isolated. The sugarcane farmers' struggle has been gaining momentum across Karnataka. Recently, farmers staged intense protests at the Hittinahalli toll gate in Vijayapura district, demanding a fair price of Rs 5,500 per tonne for their produce.
Following the detentions in Belagavi, farmer organizations have now called for road blockades at various locations across the district, accusing the state government of actively suppressing the farmers' struggle.
- Key Demand: Rs 1,000 SAP support per tonne over the Central FRP.
- Police Action: Section 163 imposed; approx. 100 people detained.
- Controversy: Alleged abandonment of a heart patient by police near Basapura.
- Escalation: Road blockades called across Belagavi district.