Farmers protesting land survey for Shaktipeeth expressway detained in Solapur

Kolhapur: Several farmers, who had rushed to block a land survey in Manegaon village of Solapur district, were detained by the police on Friday .

The survey, carried out by the officials from the revenue and land records departments amid police cover, had prompted members of the Shaktipeeth Highway Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti from Malshiras, Madha and Karakamb to gather at the site and stage a protest.

Following a heated confrontation, the police took several protesters into custody. This quickly sparked outrage among farmers across all 13 districts through which the proposed Shaktipeeth Expressway will pass.

Farmers’ leader and former MP Raju Shetti said, “The police kept the farmers in detention for the whole day, while the officials tried to conduct the survey. The lands in question are private properties of these farmers. Entering their lands without obtaining their consent is unethical, illegal and an act of authoritarianism. We condemn this incident.”