Members of the Sugarcane Cultivators Association flayed the police for their alleged highhandedness as many of the association members were rounded up and taken into “preventive detention” on Friday.
The president of the association Kurubur Shanthakumar was also rounded up by the police at around 10 a.m. when he emerged from his house while other leaders were picked up from their respective villages.
“We were brought to the DAR grounds and no explanation was provided by the police except that we were in preventive custody”, said Mr. Shanthakumar.
Condemning the police action he said only rowdy elements and those with a track record of anti-social behaviour are taken into preventive custody. “Our leaders in various villages were whisked away by the police at dawn and this action is highly condemnable”, said Mr.Shanthakumar. The police action resulted in farmers erecting road blockades in various villages, he added.
Mr. Shanthakumar said that the authorities had assured them of securing an audience with the Chief Minister during his visit to Mysuru last month and hence they had dropped their agitation. Instead, the farmers have been taken into preventive custody which is reprehensible, he said.
In a late evening development Mr. Shanthakumar said the farmers in preventive custody were released by the police who said that a meeting has been arranged with the Chief Minister at his residence at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
