Buguda: Tension prevailed here as irate farmers allegedly scuffled with tehsildar Sangram Keshari Jena while they were staging a blockade on the Buguda-Balipadar main road in Ganjam district demanding fertilizers, Monday.
The farmers protested after they failed to get fertilizer from a dealer despite waiting in a long queue outside his shop since morning.
Buguda IIC Chittaranjan Behera rushed to the spot with force and drove away the agitating farmers by resorting to lathi charge. On the basis of a complaint filed by the tehsildar, police detained four farmers and launched an investigation.
Sources said a long queue of 600 farmers waited outside the shop of a fertilizer dealer at Sholamail on Buguda-Balipadar main road since morning. The dealer turned away the farmers after selling 450 packets. This sparked resentment among the farmers and they launched a road blockade.
Assistant agriculture officer Nihar Ranjan Prusty accompanied by the tehsildar reached the spot and tried to placate the agitating farmers. The tehsildar pulled up a youth and tried to snatch away his mobile phone when he tried to click the photographs of the discussion. Later, some youths scuffled with him and tore apart his shirt.
PNN
