The ongoing protest by sugarcane farmers demanding a guaranteed price of ₹3,500 per tonne intensified on Friday, leading to violent clashes at the Hattargi toll plaza on National Highway in Hukkeri taluk. The situation spiraled out of control after police reportedly used mild force to disperse the crowd, prompting some protesters to retaliate with stone pelting.
The police, in turn, resorted to a lathi charge to control the mob, but this further enraged the farmers. Several police vehicles were damaged in the stone-pelting, and officers had to retreat from the area temporarily.
Farmer leader speaking to the media claimed that the stone-pelting incident was a “deliberate attempt to sabotage” their peaceful agitation.
The farmers’ agitation, which has gripped Belagavi, Bagalkot, and Vijayapura districts, has gained momentum after the government’s mediation meeting with sugar factory owners failed to produce results.
Protesters have now warned of massive tractor rallies and highway blockades, signaling a possible escalation if their demands are not met soon.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is under increasing pressure as farmers express anger over pending sugarcane payments and the refusal of factory owners to comply with the government’s directive to pay higher rates.
Adding to their frustration, farmers near the Maharashtra-Karnataka border are questioning why mills in Karnataka refuse to pay ₹3,500 per tonne while factories across the border in Maharashtra are offering that rate.
As the protest swells in numbers and intensity, authorities are on high alert in northern Karnataka to prevent further unrest.