Demanding Rs 500 minimum support price of paddy per quintal, increase in price for coconut purchase and exemption of electricity duty for irrigation, farmers under the banner of Nilachal Krusak Mahasangha staged a demonstration and road blockade on National Highway-316 as a result all the four lanes of the NH was blocked and hundreds of vehicles remained stranded on both sides of the road.
According to sources, Police deliberately lathi charged when hundreds of farmers were having lunch on the Puri National Highway.
Many farmers were seriously injured and some were arrested in the unprovoked lathi charge.