Reportedly upset over sudden fall in the prices of chilli varieties in the wake of huge arrivals, a mob comprising mainly of farmers resorted to violence at APMC yard in Byadgi of Haveri district on Monday evening ransacking and burning down the APMC office and torching few vehicles including a fire engine that was deployed to extinguish the fire.
According to the local traders, the trouble started after the e-tender process was completed and the prices of various chilli lots were announced. Even as some farmers were busy getting their chill lots weighed, a section of the farmers marched to the APMC office alleging that prices had been brought down deliberately
While Byadgi APMC had registered arrival of over 4 lakh bags of chilli last week, Monday too witnessed huge arrivals. On Monday 3,13,156 bags of chilli arrived at Byadgi APMC. While traders maintained that they had made bids as per the quality of the chilli, the protesting farmers alleged that it had been deliberately brought down.
Stone pelting
The protesting farmers, all of a sudden resorted to stone pelting on the APMC office, ransacked the furniture and computers and then torched a vehicle parked outside the office. Few other vehicles on the premises too bore the brunt of their anger. Subsequently the angry mob torched the office also destroying documents and other assets.
The police who were present in negligible number were helpless in controlling the mob. Although a fire engine was deployed to extinguish the fire, the irate mob did not allow the personnel to do their duty. The police personnel and fire brigade personnel who rushed to the spot were also chased away and the fire engine too was torched. Some of the police personnel too have sustained injuries.
For some time, the premises remained unreachable even for the police as the mob had closed the entry points. It was only after a while that additional police force managed to bring the situation under control.
According to Superintendent of Police of Haveri Anshukumar Srivastav, during the protest, which turned violent, some of the police personnel sustained injuries. The situation had been brought under control and the police detained some persons. After the police took control, the market activities started again late in the evening.
Meanwhile, the president of the APMC Merchants’ Association Sureshgouda Patil termed it a black day in the history of Byadgi market. He said that the bids were made based on the quality of the yield. If they felt that the prices had been brought down, they should have held discussion. However it was regrettable that they had resorted to violent protests, he said.
BJP charge
The Opposition BJP alleged that the incident of angry farmers attacking the APMC office and setting the vehicles on fire in Haveri was a direct consequence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s anti-farmer policies and lackadaisical attitude in managing the drought situation.
The Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok said, “Atleast now the Chief Minister should wake up from his deep slumber and provide ‘guarantee of drought relief’ to Anandatas. Else the day is not far when desperate farmers will set ablaze the CM’s residence and Vidhan Soudha.”
