Tension flared in Belagavi on Friday as the sugarcane farmers’ protest in Karnataka turned violent, with stone-pelting reported on the national highway. The agitation, which entered its eighth consecutive day, saw protesters clashing with police after being asked to clear the road. A police bus was damaged, several vehicles were hit, and six police personnel sustained injuries.
Belagavi Superintendent of Police Dr Bheemashankar S. Guled confirmed the incident, stating that the situation escalated when “some miscreants” began pelting stones as the police attempted to disperse protesters who had blocked the highway.
“Farmer organisations had gathered on the national highway. Despite repeated requests to vacate, they refused to move. When the police tried to remove them, a few miscreants began pelting stones,” Dr Guled said. “Our personnel exercised restraint and did not resort to force. We then held talks with farmer leaders, and the protesters eventually dispersed.”
The SP added that police were now assessing the damage to vehicles and identifying those responsible for the violence. “We will register a case, identify the miscreants, and take action. No innocent person will be arrested,” he said. Dr Guled urged farmers to maintain peace and “not fall into the hands of conspirators.”
The violence came as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah began crucial talks with farmer organisations at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. Farmers have been demanding that the government fix the sugarcane procurement price at ₹3,500 per tonne, citing rising input costs and delayed payments from sugar mills.
Siddaramaiah reiterated that the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane is determined by the Centre, not the state government. “The Union government has fixed the FRP recovery at 10.25 per tonne, including harvesting and transport. I urge farmers not to intensify the agitation or block highways,” he told reporters on Thursday.
He also accused the Centre of unfair treatment toward Karnataka in sugar and ethanol regulation. “The Centre not only fixes sugar prices but has stopped exports and allotted Karnataka only 47 crore litres of ethanol despite our production being 270 crore litres,” Siddaramaiah said. He announced that he would seek a meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss the issue.
Farmers, however, have refused to travel to Bengaluru, arguing that leaving the protest site would “send a wrong message” to their supporters.
The Belagavi protest has seen roadblocks, burning of tyres, and symbolic effigy demonstrations. The agitation has drawn backing from multiple groups, including student bodies and the BJP. State BJP president B. Y. Vijayendra joined farmers overnight, while former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai urged the state government to ensure farmers receive ₹3,500 per tonne — suggesting that factories pay ₹3,300 and the state cover the remaining ₹200.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H. K. Patil met protesting farmers earlier in the day, assuring them that the government would review inputs from sugar factories and issue a decision by Friday afternoon. “By 2 pm on November 7, we will inform you about the government’s decision, which will be pro-farmer,” he said.
Meanwhile, police have increased deployment in Belagavi and other sensitive areas to prevent further escalation, even as talks continue in Bengaluru to end the impasse.
