A 55-year-old farmer who faces losing three acres of land in an industrial project in Channarayapatna, Devanahalli, has allegedly swallowed poison during protests against land acquisition on Thursday. The farmer was identified as Venkatesh and was being treated at Victoria Hospital in Bangalore.
The protest was led by a group of farmers whose land had been notified in the third phase of the Karnataka Industrial Zone Development Board (KIADB) for acquisition, but has been over 1,000 days.
KIADB has notified the acquisition of 1,777 acres. Farmers have been sitting in a uncertain position since the notice was issued, opposing the project.
In the last congress election, protesters threatened to boycott polls, prompting the government to promise to cancel the project, but it has not yet been achieved.
On Thursday morning, when the farmers left the protest site, intending to meet with the district’s chief minister KH Muniyappa at his residence in Sanjay Nagar, police stopped and stopped two buses and transported more than 100 farmers.
Farmer leader Anjaneya Reddy with HinduOnce stopped, the farmers disembarked and started a dharna near the police station. It was during this protest that Mr. Venkatesh, a long-time incitement player, allegedly consumed the poison. He was taken to the hospital. Mr Reddy added: “Mr Venkatesh is in danger now, but will remain observable for the next two days.”
So far, cases related to the incident have not been registered.
publishing – April 11, 2025 at 12:16 am IST
