Head constable suspended for cane-charging farmers waiting outside fertiliser distribution centre in Bhind

BHOPAL:Farmers waiting for their turn to get their share of fertilisers at a government fertiliser distribution centre were lathi-charged by a cop in Bhind district of Madhya Pradeshs Gwalior-Chambal region on Monday. The video of the incident that went viral showed a cop assaulting farmers lined up outside a cooperative society office in the Lahar area of Bhind district. According to the farmers, the cop cane-charged them without any reason, causing injuries to three to four farmers. Notably, the fertiliser distribution process had resumed at the concerned centre after three days of holiday. Followingly, the Bhind district police superintendent Dr Asit Yadav, ordered the suspension of the head constable Ramraj Singh Gurjar. A departmental probe has been ordered against the head constable and a report is sought within seven days. The incident happened just six days after farmers, queuing up for fertilisers, were reportedly lathi-charged in Rewa district of eastern MP. Importantly, Bhind district is the same district, where third-time BJP MLA Narendra Singh Kushwah had indulged in a noisy and abusive brawl with the district collector at the latters residence, allegedly over the fertilizers issue. As per official sources within the government, Bhind district is among those districts of MP, where fertiliser crisis continues to prevail. Not just the non-BJP parties and farmers' outfits, but the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) -- the RSS-associated farmers' outfit -- has also protested in Bhind in the recent past over the mismanagement of fertiliser distribution. Last week, the states CM Dr Mohan Yadav had chaired a high-level meeting over the issue in Bhopal. At the meeting, the CM directed that the district administration in all districts should make necessary arrangements regarding the distribution of fertilizers in the districts. If there is chaos regarding fertiliser distribution in the districts, then the District Collector will be responsible for it, the CM had maintained. While ensuring proper distribution of the available fertilisers, keep in constant dialogue and contact with the representatives of the farmers' organisations. Representatives of the farmers' organisation should also be included in the fertiliser distribution system. Intensive review of fertilizer availability in the districts should be done, the CM had directed last week. Also, share the information about the stock of fertiliser available in the district with the public representatives, this will help in making the farmers aware of the actual status of fertilizer availability in the district. The district administration should compulsorily conduct surprise verification and monitoring of double lock, PACS and private sales centres. If additional sales centres are required, their operation should be started immediately, the CM had also directed. While maintaining that there was no shortage of fertilisers for the Kharif 2025 season, the officials informed the meeting about the action taken so far against those indulging in black marketing, illegal storage-transportation of fertilisers as well as spurious fertilisers. 53 FIRs were registered and action was taken for 88 license cancellations, 102 license suspensions and 406 sales bans, the officials informed in the meeting.