Authorities in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna district have suspended an official after a video of a farmer crying to sell his crops at a government mandi (market) went viral, officials said on Thursday (March 13, 2026). They added that a team has also been found to find the farmer.
The incident took place on Wednesday (March 12, 2026) at Nanakhedi Krishi Upaj Mandi in Guna when the purchase was suspended allegedly due to the misbehavior of the market inspector with farmers and traders.
As the farmers remained gathered at the site, one of them broke down as he pleaded for the resumption of operations. The farmer was identified by officials as Kamal Pal, a resident of Shrichakpur village.
“Please buy my crop… tomorrow is my sister’s tika (wedding ritual),” was heard in a video that went viral on social media.
Mr. Pal says he was in the mandi since Tuesday (March 10, 2026) waiting to sell his coriander crop, but the traders closed the buying operations.
“There are only 60 tractors (farmers) left, it would only take half an hour. Two of my carts are waiting,” he adds.
According to local officials and reports, the traders suspended operations after arguments with Mr. Sharma, who was said to be in a drunken state.
The dispute reportedly started after the farmers protested that Mr. Sharma had recorded a low price for the farm crop despite receiving a higher offer.
Guna Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Shivani Pathak admitted that the inspector was drunk and misbehaved with the farmers.
“He mismarked the price at which the traders refused to buy the coriander crop in protest. After secretary Mandi alerted me to the situation, I sent a team of officials to resume operations,” she said, adding that buying began after an hour’s halt and no farmer retired without selling.
Guna Collector Kishore Kanyal told The Hindu that a team has also been set up to find the farmer to address his concerns and see if he is able to sell his crop.
“Our team visited his house but his family was not found there. We are in touch with his neighbors and trying to contact him,” he said.
Published – March 13, 2026 11:45 AM IST
