‘High command has not sought info on murder issue’

Asserting that the high command has not sought any details on the murder of a student in Gangavati taluk of Koppal district, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the State government has already handed over the case to the CID.

Addressing presspersons after inaugurating the multi-village drinking water scheme at Almatti here on Monday, he said that the high command had not issued any notice to KPCC seeking the details. Yellalinga, a college student, was allegedly murdered by the supporters of Minor Irrigation Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, in January, 2015, for exposing irregularities under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

The CID has already arrested Hanumesh Nayak, who is believed to be the prime accused and a close aid of Mr. Tangadagi.

Pending bills

With regard to the clearing of pending bills of sugarcane growers, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that the government has already issued orders to seize warehouses of sugar mills and sell the sugar for paying the dues of the farmers.

Meanwhile, in Vijayapura, Sugarcane Growers’ Association staged a dharna and submitted a memorandum to the district administration, seeking a release of their dues.

In a memorandum, they said that despite growing over 36 lakh tonnes of sugarcane this year, the farmers did not get any benefits as most of the factories were still not clearing the dues.

The farmers said that they would stage a dharna outside Suvarna Soudha during the session, if the government failed to meet their demand.