TUMKUR: Farmers from 19 villages of Kothagere Hobli of Tumkur district on Sunday decided to file criminal cases against two Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs and senior officials who were allegedly responsible for breaking open the Kothagere tank bund.

The farmers, who were angry over the use of police force against them on Saturday at Kothagere, observed a bandh in Kunigal and Hebbur towns on Sunday. The farmers, who have organised under Tumkur Zilla Raitha Sangha, have decided to file criminal petition against the MLAs concerned on October 25 when the High Court reopens.

Spokespersons of the sangha, Rudrappa and Shivalinge Gowda, told The Hindu that on Saturday morning, H. Ningappa and D. Nagarajaiah, Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs, arrived at the Kothagere tank with excavators and a large number of their followers and broke open the tank bund. The tank water was allowed to flow out. G.S. Nayak, Assistant Commissioner, informed the farmers — who tried to prevent the MLAs from breaching the tank — that Deputy Commissioner S.R. Umashankar had issued orders to break the bund. The Kothagere tank is 220 years old and was recently filled with Hemavathy waters.

Police lathi-charged the farmers, including women, and fired five rounds in the air to disperse the agitators on Saturday. The police arrested BJP State unit general secretary Suresh Gowda and six others of the party, leading to tension in all taluks.

Mr. Suresh Gowda, who was injured in the lathi-charge has been admitted to a hospital here.

Tumkur District Congress Committee president S.P. Muddahanume Gowda led a large number of farmers and party workers in a protest rally against breaching of the tank from Kothagere. He was, however, stopped by the police on the ground that the entry of the rally into Kunigal and Hebbur would lead to unrest and cause a "law and order problem."

Mr. Muddahanume Gowda accused the officials concerned of siding with Kunigal MLA Ningappa and unnecessarily using force on the farmers. "Women from villages were also targeted," he said.

`Personal reasons'

Mr. Suresh Gowda told presspersons from his hospital bed that the Janata Dal (Secular) MLA D. Nagarajaiah had "personal reasons" for breaking open the Kothagere tank bund.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail