The Dalit farmers and the police were locked in a wrangle for some time at Kovvada Agraharam in Poosapatirega mandal on Sunday.
The High Court had scrapped GO 58 issued in the past and directed the district administration not to hinder cultivation on the 17.67 acres of government land that had been allotted to M/s S.V.L. Life Sciences Private Limited for setting up a unit.
Following the court’s order and under the aegis of the Dalit Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham, 40 Dalit families, who had been allotted the government land for cultivation in the past, defied Section 144 promulgated by the police in the area, crossed the fencing erected around the disputed site, and sowed seeds and planted saplings in their lands.
Earlier, a strong police force that was deployed at the disputed site to avert any untoward incident had taken CPI(M) district secretary Tammineni Suryanarayana, who was on the way to the village to take part in the protest, into preventive custody. They detained him at the Denkada police station.
Police action decired
V. Venkateswarulu, State general secretary of Dalit Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham, condemned the police action despite the High Court order not to obstruct farmers to take up cultivation on their lands.
RDO’s promise
Vizianagaram RDO J. Venkat Murali, who reached the village, assured the farmers of justice.
CPI (M) leaders Jangan Mohan and B. Suryanarayana participated in the protest.
