#BreakingNews: Karnataka Sugarcane Protest Turns Violent as Farmers Torch Over Hundred Tractors at Factory
Sugarcane protest explodes into massive arson, Section 144 imposed.
Chaos erupted in Karnataka’s Bagalkote district on Thursday as furious sugarcane farmers stormed Godavari Sugars Factory, setting over 100 sugarcane-loaded tractors and two motorcycles ablaze in a dramatic escalation of their pricing protest. Thick black smoke billowed across the factory premises as flames devoured the vehicles lined up for unloading, turning a peaceful demonstration into a full-blown riot.
Police stationed at the factory were vastly outnumbered and struggled to contain the violence, with Superintendent of Police Siddharth Goyal personally rushing to the scene. Stones were hurled, several protesters and officers sustained injuries, and the situation spiralled out of control before additional forces could arrive. Farmer leader Subhash Shirabur denied responsibility for the arson, accusing “factory-connected elements” of deliberately setting the fires in front of police to defame the movement.
The violent outbreak stems from growing frustration over sugarcane pricing, with Mudhol farmers rejecting the Rs 3,300 per tonne rate recently accepted by Belagavi growers and holding out for Rs 3,500. What began as a massive tractor-bullock cart-auto rickshaw rally from Sangolli Rayanna Circle quickly escalated when protesters reached the factory gates, leading to Thursday’s fiery confrontation.
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Authorities responded swiftly by imposing Section 144 across Jamkhandi, Rabkavi-Banahatti, and Mudhol taluks, banning gatherings of more than four people. Deputy Commissioner Sangappa ordered the clampdown while reinforcements from Vijayapura, Belagavi and neighbouring districts poured in to prevent further violence.
As charred tractor skeletons smouldered inside the factory compound and tensions remained sky-high, the incident has sent shockwaves across Karnataka’s sugarcane belt. With both sides trading blame and prohibitory orders in force, the standoff over fair pricing has now become a dangerous flashpoint threatening wider unrest.
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