Karnataka   

Rubber bullets to quell farmers’ agitations

BANGALORE: After the death of a farmer (Siddalingappa Choori) in the police firing in Haveri district on Tuesday, the State Cabinet on Thursday decided to direct the police to use rubber bullets instead of lead bullets to quell farmers’ agitations in the future.

The police opened fire when a farmers’ protest seeking supply of chemical fertilizers had turned violent.

Briefing presspersons on the Cabinet decisions, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje and Home Minister V.S. Acharya said the use of rubber bullets would be confined only to subdue farmers’ agitations and not other agitations or movements.

The police would also use lathi, teargas shells and water cannon to quell farmers’ agitations.

The police had used rubber bullets to bring normality in the troubled areas during the Ramakrishna Hegde rule, they said.

There seems to be confusion among the senior police officers on the Government’s decision that the police should use only use rubber bullets to quell farmers’ agitations.

When The Hindu spoke to some senior IPS officers, they were divided in their views about the Government’s decision.

According to a senior officer, the order that only rubber bullets should be used is not in accordance with the law.

During violence, the officer at the spot should decide the nature and quantum of the force that should be used to quell a mob.

According to the Karnataka Police Manual, rubber bullets should be used as an intermediary between police lathicharge and their opening fire, he said.

Even now the police are using rubber bullets, he added.

The Cabinet has decided to provide a job to the wife of Siddalingappa Choori and also bear the education expenses of his son Kiran (seventh Standard) and daughter Kavya (second standard). Choori’s wife will be posted in Haveri district.

The Cabinet has condoled the death of the farmer in the police firing, the Ministers said.

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