In Bagalkot district, the sugarcane farmers’ protest turned violent.
At Sanganakatti Cross near Mahalingapura, a group of angry growers set fire to more than 50 tractors that were carrying sugarcane. The blaze is believed to have destroyed thousands of tonnes of the crop.
The unrest follows the state government’s decision to fix the buying price for sugarcane at Rs 3,300 per tonne after talks with farmers and mill owners. Farmers from Mudhol, who have been staging demonstrations for a week, rejected the rate and demanded Rs 3,500 per tonne. On Thursday, they called for a complete shutdown of the town and warned that only factory owners should come to the negotiating table.
Ahead of the fire, the agitators surrounded a sugar factory near Sydapura on the Mahalingapura–Nippani road. About 200 tractors were parked outside the mill when the confrontation erupted. Local authorities are still gathering details.
Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H. D. Kumaraswamy, said the government had previously appeased farmers in Belagavi but has not tackled the broader sugarcane crisis in the state. He urged a shift from short‑term fixes to a lasting solution.
Opposition leader R. Ashoka criticized the ruling government, calling the farmers’ plight a result of neglect. He urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to hold urgent meetings with both farmers and mill owners and promised that the BJP would fully support the growers.
The incident adds to growing tensions over sugarcane pricing in Karnataka. The government is under pressure to intervene quickly and prevent further losses for farmers.
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