DHENKANAL: Thousands of local farmers were detained by police when they reached the railway station here to board train to participate in the Chasi Samabesh (Farmers’ Convention) at Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.
Under the banner of Odisha Bhumihina Praja Samiti and led by farmer leader, Debashish Hota, farmers - both men and women - from Kamakshyanagar had arrived at the railway station at 7 am. However, police deployment was done in and around the railway station much before the farmers had arrived.
Sources said after the train to Bhubaneswar left, police urged the farmers to board police vans to be taken to reserve police line but the irate farmers refused and instead, decided to walk down. Subsequently, police escorted them to the police line, five kms from the railway station.
While police said they were instructed to detain farmers going to attend the farmers’ convention, Hota said the farmers were on their way to attend another meeting and it was not related to the Chasi Samabesh. He also submitted a memorandum to the Additional District Magistrate, demanding record of rights for landless farmers and investigation into involvement of District Yuva BJD president on a land grabbing case.