Sugarcane farmers detained ahead of planned Belagavi protest march

Sugarcane farmers in Karnataka were stopped and detained by police as they attempted to march towards Belagavi to participate in a 'Jail Bharo' protest, officials said. The district administration had preemptively issued a prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS) to prevent the demonstration.

The 'Jail Bharo' (fill the jail) agitation is a form of civil disobedience where protesters deliberately invite arrest as a show of defiance against government policies. Sugarcane farmers have been staging protests to demand improved support prices and resolution of pending dues from sugar mills.

Under Section 163 of the BNSS, district authorities can impose restrictions on public gatherings and movement in specified areas if they believe such activities may lead to breach of peace or public disorder. The preventive order enabled police to intercept the farmers before they could reach Belagavi, the district headquarters.

The detention comes amid ongoing grievances within the farming community over economic pressures and delayed payments from sugar processing units. Farmers have increasingly turned to protest marches and mass demonstrations to press their demands on the state government.