Karnataka - Mysore   

Bellary farmers lay siege to CADA official’s farmhouse

MYSORE: At least 150 farmers, including women, from six villages in Bellary district on Thursday laid siege to a farmhouse at Naguvanahalli village of Srirangapatna taluk, owned by A. Mari Gowda, Executive Officer in Command Area Development Authority (CADA), Mysore, accusing him of cheating them in releasing compensation towards their land acquired for an irrigation project.

On learning about farmers demonstrating at the farmhouse, some farmers from Mysore along with leaders of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha rushed to Naguvanahalli. They too accused the official of cheating them.

Policemen have been deployed at the farmhouse to avoid any untoward incident.

Farmers from Hammige, Gomala, Mallipura and Magala and other villages in Huvinahadagali taluk in Bellary district, alleged that the official had collected money from them when he was the Special Land Acquisition Officer for Huligudda Lift Irrigation Scheme, promising that he would help them get compensation soon for the land acquired from them.

They alleged that the official had collected Rs. 30,000 an acre of land from 500 farmers of six villages, promising them early compensation for 3,000 acres of land acquired two years ago.

The official threatened some farmers with dire consequences when they met him recently and sought their money back, the farmers said.

They would not return to Bellary till their demand was fulfilled, they said. The farmers alleged that the family members of the official tried to attack them with clubs and machetes along with some farm workers on Thursday.

The police said that the official, who was in Bangalore, had agreed to meet the agitating farmers here on Friday.

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