By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, December 28, 2016 : Police on Wednesday resorted to a lathi charge on farmers staging road blockade on National Highway-316 alleging government’s apathy towards farmers’ community in Puri district.

Activists of Satyabadi Nilachal Krushak Mahasangh (SNKM) were staging protest on the NH near Satyabadi block office demanding fulfilment of their 90-point charter of demands including Rs 500 minimum support price of paddy, Rs 12 selling price of coconut and exemption of electricity duty for irrigation.

The irate farmers blocked the NH disrupting vehicular traffic. Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded on both sides of the road. Police sources said, in order to facilitate vehicular movement on the NH, it had to resort to lathi charge on the activists who ran helter-skelter.