Nellore: TDP stages protest demanding release of Dalit farmer

Nellore: Tense situation prevailed at Venkatachalam police station on Thursday when a farmer from the TDP has been shifted to the police station for enquiry. There has been verbal dual between the TDP and YSR Congress leaders for some time on the issue of farmer.

Dalit farmer G Jaipal from Anikepalli, who objected to comments of the ruling party leaders and allegedly handed over a representation to the administration for a probe on the compensation paid to him. He explained some people claim from Eedagali for a huge volume of paddy while he is having 3.5 acres of land and yielded only 8 putties of grain.

TDP leaders, who rushed to the police station, criticised the police the way they shifted him to the station. Party leaders Abdul Aziz, former MLA P Sunil Kumar, former Nuda Chairman K Srinivasulu Reddy, J Ramanaiah, and others asked the police why they had shifted the Dalit farmer to the police station for a probe on the paddy procurement process in the region. They staged a protest in front of the police station demanding the release of farmer. They said police should work for people not for legislators and the ruling parties. Later, police released Jaipal from the station after enquiry.

TDP leaders say the local middlemen of Sarvepalli constituency belongs to the ruling party have claimed money from the government procuring paddy from the farmers at lower prices and Jaipal's case is the evidence for such acts. The amount was also deposited into the bank account of Jaipal, which created tension. But ruling party leaders submitted details of procurement transactions in the constituency.