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Karnataka farmers on rampage over fertilizer shortage

Tuesday, 10 June 2008

The twin cities of Dharwad and Hubli in Karnataka witnessed trouble on Monday over supply of chemical fertilizers to farmers. Protesting the short supply of fertilizers, a violent mob of farmers set afire a fertilizer shop, a police vehicle, three buses and looted  fertilizer shops. Scores of NWKRTC buses were damaged and tension prevailed in the market areas of Dharwad as thousands of farmers blocked roads. The police resorted to lathicharge and fired teargas shells to disperse the agitators. Trouble started when farmers who had come to Dharwad to purchase chemical fertilizer got restless after they did not get the required quantities. They stoned shops of private fertilizer companies, following which the traders downed shutters. The police, who had been instructed not to use force, initially stood mute witness as the farmers went on a rampage. DCP (Crime) R Dileep appealed to the agitators not to take the law into their hands. However, things went out of control around 4pm when anti-social elements joined the agitators and burnt a NWKRTC bus near Alur Venkatrao Circle. While a mob prevented a fire tender from extinguishing a blaze at Alur Venkatrao Circle and punctured its wheels, another group  of agitators set a bus on fire and attacked two fertilizer shops. They also set the DCP's vehicle on fire. Hugely outnumbered, the policemen ran around trying to control the agitators. After police commissioner Narayan Nadamani and deputy commissioner M S Srikar arrived with reinforcements, the police resorted to lathicharge and lobbed teargas shells.

 

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