Belagavi police arrest over 100 sugarcane farmers during protest
The arrests occurred during a 'Jail Bharo' agitation following a prohibitory order issued by the district administration.
Belagavi police arrested more than 100 sugarcane farmers on November 5 during a 'Jail Bharo' protest in Belagavi, according to The Hindu. The arrests took place as farmers attempted to march towards the city.
Frontline leaders Chunappa Pujeri, Shashikant Padasalagi Guruji, and Prem Chougala were among those detained. Pujeri and Chougala were arrested from the Mukti math premises on the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway, while Guruji and others were arrested near Mudalagi during a padayatra.
The district administration had issued a prohibitory order under BNSS 163, which banned all protests along the National Highway, the Hindalaga jail, and other areas. This order was issued in response to the agitation call by the leaders.
The protest follows disagreements among farmers regarding an offer of ₹3,600 per tonne by sugar factories. This price was decided during a meeting on November 3 between farmers and factory-owners representatives, chaired by PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi.
While many leaders agreed to the price, they requested the Karnataka government to provide ₹1,000 per tonne as State Advised Price. Some farmers objected to the decision, claiming leaders had settled for less.
The deadlock follows several meetings, including two convened by Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on October 26.
After those meetings failed to resolve the issue, farmers began a padayatra from Gurlapur to Belagavi.