Khammam: Tension prevails when farmers detain ITC staff

Khammam: Mild tension prevailed in Bonakal mandal in the district on Thursday, when Subabul and Jamail farmers along with BJP leaders detained two ITC officers in a room, who came for discussion. As many as 100 farmers from Garlapadu, Allapadu, Bonakal, Ravinuthala, Govindapuram and Chinab urvelli villages of Chintakani mandal along with BJP leaders staged a protest before the ITC employees. Later, they detained the ITC employees in a room.

The police, who came to know of this, rushed to the spot and pacified the protesters and released the ITC employees.

Speaking to the media, BJP district president Galla Satyanarayana came down heavily on the ITC BPL management. He alleged that the factory officials were cheating the farmers since many years and the ITC officers were not purchasing Jamail wood from Bonakal mandal for the last two months.

Satyanarayana criticised MP Nama Nageswara Rao for giving false promises to farmers and alleged that the MP was supporting the ITC company for his benefits.

Galla demanded the ITC company to give Purchase Order (PO) to farmers and also to setup purchasing points in the mandal to help farmers. He also demanded that the company should immediately purchase the wood. Otherwise, the BJP leader warned that along with farmers, they will siege the company in the coming days.