Chhattisgarh: 66-year-old farmer supporting foot march agitation against govt dies in Nava Raipur

A 66-year-old farmer actively supporting farmers’ agitation in Nava Raipur for the last 62 days, collapsed on the roads of Nava Raipur on Friday, while continuing the fight against the administration.

The farmer died while he was participating in a foot March organized by the united group of farmers. The march was scheduled from NRDA headquarters to State Secretariat.

It has been informed that Siyaraam Patel, a resident of Baroda village of Nava Raipur had suddenly fallen on the road when getting stopped by security forces.

Patel was shifted to nearby Balco hospital but he did not survive, said one of the demonstrators, Rupesh Yadav.

Leader of Nai Rajadhani Prabhavit Kishan Kalyan Samiti Rupan Chandrakar said, farmers of Nava Raipur are agitated and continuously staging a demonstration in support of their demand because they feel they were cheated by the Baghel government.

Government selling land at the rate of Rs 6 crore per acre and not ready to fulfil our genuine demands, he alleged.

Baghel government should be held guilty for the death of the victim farmer Patel. We demand, the government immediately announces compensation of Rs 50 lakhs and a government job to the victims' family.

We will fight till our demands are met including the implementation of a rehabilitation package and developed land in Nava Raipur.

The farmers were approaching towards state secretariat building from NRDA headquarters and section 144 was already imposed in the area as they weren't granted any permission from the administration they were halted midway, an administrative officer said wishing anonymity.