Police resorts to lathi charge on Farmers in Puri NH

Police on Wednesday resorted to lathi charge on farmers staged road blockade in front of the Sakhigopal Block Office beside the Puri National Highway alleging Government’s apathy towards farmers’ community.

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.