SIDDIPET: Siddipet police registered a case against 13 farmers for attacking police and stopping them from carrying out their duties. On Thursday, a group of oustees obstructed the construction of a road near the Gouravelli project.
The booked persons were identified as R Srinivas, N Mahendar Reddy, G Chanti, Ch Kumara Swami, N Mallesh, S Akhil Reddy, M Srinivas Reddy, K Vinod, A Thirupati, Biukya Sampath, B Rajireddy, B Shankarreddy and B Sampath.
Police officials said the case was registered under Section 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from carrying out their duty) of the IPC. Husnabad ACP Satish said two constables and a sub-inspector were injured, he added. However, the ryots were not pleased with the police’s version.
Farmers say that despite the court order asking them to not carry out any works until the entire compensation is paid, officials came and destroyed the existing road. They allege that the police did lathi charge against the protestors and even caused injuries to women.
‘Pay compensation first’
The situation is quite tense in the Gudatipally village under Akkannapet mandal, situated near the Gouravelli project since 10 am on Thursday. While the contractor was digging the road, the farmers levelled the road in protest. Even at night, the ryots refused to leave the spot in fear of the police and officials carrying out works at night. While police personnel was deployed in large numbers, the farmers took part in the Vanta Varpu (cooking on roads) programme. Farmers alleged that the government is forcing them out of the village as officials want to vacate the village, but the works in the resettlement colony are not completed.
They also claim that they are yet to receive the money to build houses, purchase plots and pumps. They demanded that the government provide rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) packages to the remaining 114 farmers in the area. Once their demands are met, they will leave peacefully, they assured. The oustees said they won’t stop the agitation even if the police register multiple cases against them.