Farmers gherao Agri Dept team at Kotra village

Bathinda, June 16

Farmers gheraoed a team of the Agriculture Department at Kotra village in the Rampura area. The team had gone to stop farmers from sowing paddy. After seeing farmers sowing paddy, the team went to fields around 2 pm and told the labourers to stop sowing paddy. The state government has banned sowing paddy in the state till June 20.

In the meantime, a large number of farmers gathered on the spot and gheraoed the team. Seeing the situation getting tense, a large number of police personnel from Maur, Rampura and Balianwali police stations reached the spot. The DSP of Maur also reached the spot to resolve the issue.

Mothu Singh, a farmer leader, said farmers on Saturday protested the agriculture department officials who were stopping farmers from sowing paddy at Kotra village.

Inspector Sandeep Singh, SHO of the Balianwali police station, said, “There was some misunderstanding between farmers and agriculture officials at Kotra village. The team had visited the village to make aware farmers that paddy will be sown after June 20. Farmers mistook it and they thought that the team had come to plough their paddy. Later, the issue was resolved.” — TNS