Farmers watch in despair as miscreants set fire to tractor-trailers loaded with sugarcane at Sameerwadi in Bagalkot district on Thursday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Tractor carts loaded with sugarcane that caught fire at Sameerwadi in Bagalkot district on Thursday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Miscreants on Thursday set fire to tractors and carts full of sugarcane parked on the premises of the Godavari Bio Refinery sugar mill at Sameerwadi in Bagalkot district. Police estimate that at least 15 of the 100 tractors and bikes were completely or partially burnt in the incident.
The incident occurred when a group of about 300 sugarcane farmers protested outside the gates of the factory. They wanted to lay siege to the factory and demand a base price of ₹3,500 per tonne. Members of various farmers’ associations have been on strike for nearly two weeks demanding ₹3,500 per tonne. They rejected the price of ₹3,300 announced by the government. Sameerwadi is about 20 km from Mudhol.
Subhash Sirbur, leader of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangh, told reporters in Sameerwadi that a gang of miscreants came from the factory and set fire to the vehicles. He denied that farmers were involved in the crime.
“All the protesting farmers were outside the gates of the factory. When we were marching towards the factory, the police stopped us. How could we set the vehicles on fire in front of the factory? It was a group of miscreants who set the vehicles on fire because they wanted to give us a bad name,” he claimed.
He alleged that the factory management wanted to falsely implicate the farmers. An email sent to factory management seeking a response to the allegations has not yet received a response.
Miscreants set fire to sugarcane tractors in Bagalkot
On November 13, miscreants set fire to tractors and carts full of sugarcane parked on the premises of the Godavari Bio Refinery sugar mill at Sameerwadi in Bagalkot district. Video Credit: The Hindu
Shivanand Patil, sugar minister said, “A detailed investigation will reveal who was responsible. Bagalkot Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police have been holding a series of meetings with farmers for almost 10 days now. But they remained adamant on ₹ 3,500 per tonne in all factories regardless of sugar take-back percentage and payment, we said we will try again to resolve the matter by protesting.”
He said as many as 13 factories in Bagalkot and surrounding areas have provided him with documents proving that they are paying between ₹3,400 to ₹3,600 per tonne, over and above the ₹3,300 price announced by the Chief Minister after a recent meeting. Mr. Patil reiterated that the fair and remunerative price was fixed by the Union Government and not by the State Government.
District in-charge minister RB Thimmapur said he had called a meeting of farmers and factory owners for Thursday, but the violence broke out before they could conclude the meeting.
Published – 13 November 2025 21:00 IST
