Farmer couple tries to set themselves on fire over rice deduction dispute in Suryapet-Telangana Today

A disturbing incident occurred on Sunday at the IKP procurement center in Annaram village where farmers Guguloth Keema Naik and Punnamma tried to set themselves on fire in front of hundreds of people. Fellow farmers quickly intervened to save them from the desperate act, then staged a protest downtown to show solidarity with the couple.

Suryapet: A farmer couple tried to end their lives by setting themselves on fire in full public after raising concerns about millers deducting as much as seven kilos of paddy per quintal, citing impurities and moisture content.

In the disturbing incident, followed by farmers’ protests at the IKP procurement center in Annaram village on Sunday, Guguloth Keema Naik and Punnamma tried to set themselves on fire while hundreds of people were nearby at the procurement centre. Fellow farmers in the center, who came to their rescue and saved them from the desperate step, sat in protest and expressed their solidarity with the couple.

The farmers were outraged that the millers’ practice had seriously affected their income. While a standard deduction of two to three kilograms per quintal was justified by the millers to take into account moisture and waste in the paddy fields, with the arrival of more rice, the increased deductions led to strong opposition from the farmers.

The rice, which was shifted to the procurement center by the tribal farmer’s family, was sent to Venkataramana Traders Mill on November 17. However, the miller refused the stock and returned the truck with the rice load after a week-long wait for payment. , which caused even more unrest and led to protests.

The local tax official rushed to the purchasing center to discuss the farmers’ grievances. He spoke to the farmers and took the issue to the district collectorate and civil utility officials. The Tahsildar was able to pacify the situation by assuring the farmers that the consignment of rice would be sent to another mill and their problem would be resolved. The protest subsided as the farmers relented by calling off the protests.