BELLARY POLICE FIRED TO DISPERSE FARMERS OPPOSING LAND ACQUISITION

By SHIVAKUMAR G MALAGI

Feb 15/2009


In what is seen as a grim reminder of the Haveri firing in June last year, the police on Sunday fired in the air to disperse a group of agitating farmers who were protesting against the acquisition of their agricultural land for construction of a green-field airport here. No casualties were reported.
Farmers from Siriwar, Sangankal and Chaganur villages have been protesting against the acquisition of their land for the past 40 days. According to eye-witnesses, the farmers number ing around a hundred, threatened to block National Highway 63 at Godehal Cross.
When the police tried to stop them, some farmers got into a verbal duel with the cops. The farmers who outnumbered the policemen, also damaged vehicles belonging to the police department, police sources said.
Sensing that the situation could go out of control, the police resorted to a mild lathicharge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The Bellary tahasildar Bheemanaik made repeated pleas to the farmers to withdraw their stir and maintain peace but his attempts were in vain. After damaging police jeeps, the farmers beat up two police officials forcing the police to open fire in the air, police sources claimed.
“We were forced to fire seven rounds in the air to disperse the violent crowd that beat up two police inspectors and an assistant police inspector,” said superintendent of police Seemanthkumar Singh. He said the situation was now under control. Eleven people have been arrested in connection with the violence.
Reacting to the incident, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said it was a conspiracy of Congress leaders to defame the BJP-led government. “Opposition leaders were finding it difficult to tolerate the growing popularity of the BJP government and were desperately indulging in such activity,” he claimed.
Farmers’ leader Mallikarjun Reddy said, “Who wants the airport? This is a dream of a few mining lords at the cost of 10,000 farmers. Farmers need not lose their fertile lands to such whims and fancies of mining lords and realtors.”