Farmers attack sugar factories in Maharashtra over payment delay

Representational picture

Angry over delay in payments, farmers attacked offices of sugar factories in Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts of Maharashtra and set some of them ablaze, police said Sunday. A group of protesters torched the office of Krishna Sugar Factory at Karad in Satara on Friday, a police official said.

Some important documents, computers and furniture were destroyed in the blaze, he said, adding that offences were registered against unidentified persons by the Karad rural police. Besides, another office of the sugar factory in neighbouring Sangli was set on fire on Saturday morning, an official at Islampur police station said. Some workers informed police about the incident at the sugar factory's office, where computers and several documents were kept, he said.

Protesters also vandalised and tried to torch the office of Kranti Sugar Factory at Walwa in Sangli on Saturday and later fled, the officials said. Offences were registered against unidentified persons under Indian Penal Code sections for mischief and house-trespass, he said, adding that no arrest was made so far. In another incident, farmers gathered near the Gurudatt Sugar Factory's office at Shirol in Kolhapur Saturday afternoon, seeking fair and remunerative price for their produce, another police official said.

The protesters, belonging to a local farmers' organisation, then broke the factory office's lock and vandalised furniture, computers, stationary and other material kept there, he said. The Shirol police registered offences against nearly 65 people, out of whom 15 were identified. They were under IPC sections for rioting, unlawful assembly, house-trespass and mischief, the official said. No arrest was made so far, he said, adding that a probe was underway.

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