Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

A.P. farmers attack police

By Our Staff Reporter

CUDDAPAH OCT. 22. Irate farmers went berserk in Porumamilla town on Tuesday, hurling stones and slippers at policemen, who lathicharged them for the second consecutive day after an altercation ensued during distribution of subsidised seeds.

While a home guard, R. Ramakrishna, sustained head injuries and a head constable, Hussain, suffered minor injuries in a bid to save the Porumamilla circle inspector, B. Vithal, from attack, the Porumamilla Mandal Agricultural Officer, Sai Madan Mohan, and Assistant Director, Bhaskara Rao, fled the scene and locked themselves in the panchayat raj office to escape the wrath of the ryots. The farmers then laid a siege to the panchayat raj office, asking the officials to come out and simultaneously staged a four-hour-long dharna.

As many as 3,000 farmers belonging to Porumamilla, B. Kodur, Kalasapadu, Kasinayana and Brahmamgari Matham mandals assembled at the Porumamilla mandal agricultural office. The officials concerned asked them to go to the police station and obtain coupons for seeds, but they were redirected to the agricultural office after reaching the police station.

A little while after the seed distribution counter was opened, an altercation ensued between Sai Madan Mohan and farmers. At this juncture, the police began lathicharging the ryots and the ryots retaliated by hurling stones and slippers on the policemen. While the protest demanding officials to come out of the PR office continued, the Mydukur DSP, B.V. Satyanarayana, Mydukur Rural CI, Rangaswamy, and Badvel sub-inspector, Bhaskar Reddy, pacified the ryots and subsequently mandal-wise counters were opened to distribute seeds.

Meanwhile, a head constable of B. Kodur police station, Easwaraiah, faced the ire of a large group of women and locked himself up in the panchayat raj Deputy Engineer's office. The women dared the HC alleging that he made derogatory remarks against farmers.

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