TIRUCHY: Tension prevailed at Tiruchy Collectorate premises after the police prevented the entry of farmers who carried human skulls into the grievances redressal meet on Friday (July 17), and later the farmers staged a protest demanding compensation for kuruvai failure.
The farmers' grievances redressal meet was held in Tiruchy, chaired by the Collector Pratik Dayal, in which representatives of various farmers' associations took part.
While the meeting was about to start, a group of farmers led by P Ayyakannu, State president, Desiya Thennindhiya Nadhigal Inaippu Sangam came to the Collectorate with human skulls.
On seeing them, the police, who were on duty, stopped them in the entrance of the meeting hall, and the farmers attempted to force themselves into the hall, but the police continued to stop them, and this triggered a minor scuffle, and the police closed the door to stop the farmers from entering.
Subsequently, the farmers commenced a sit-in protest and demanded compensation for the kuruvai loss. They raised slogans in support of their protest and said that the state government has failed to provide them with water for kuruvai cultivation.
“We demand the state government to declare Delta as drought hit region and disburse proper compensation for the kuruvai loss. The state government should also initiate legal steps to stop Karnataka from constructing the Mekedatu dam, which would turn the Delta into a desert,” said Ayyakannu.
He also appealed to the state government to make a fresh crop loan waiver announcement, which would help the farmers to compensate for the loss.