Sabar Dairy protest by cattle rearers turns violent; 3 cops injured, 40 detained
Cattle rearers demanding higher milk procurement prices clashed with police outside Sabar Dairy in Sabarkantha district, leading to teargas shelling, 40 detentions
Himmatnagar (Gujarat), Jul 14 (PTI) A protest by cattle rearers outside Sabar Dairy in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district on Monday turned violent, causing injuries to three policemen and cops lobbing teargas shells to disperse the stone-pelting crowd, an official said.
At least 40 people were detained following the protest outside the Sabarkantha District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union or Sabar Dairy near Himmatnagar town, District Superintendent of Police Vijay Patel said.
He said many cattle rearers had gathered outside Sabar Dairy around 11 am to raise their demand for a hike in the milk procurement prices.
"When they were stopped near the main gate, some protesters started hurling stones at the police, which left three policemen injured. Some police vehicles were also damaged," Patel said.
"To control the situation and disperse the mob, we lobbed nearly 50 teargas shells. We have so far detained 40 protestors. The situation is under control. Adequate force has been deployed at the spot to maintain law and order," he said.
Dhavalsinh Zala, the Independent MLA of the Bayad constituency, also reached the spot to extend his support to the protesting cattle rearers. But he fled after the agitation turned violent.
Zala said cattle rearers are demanding a 20 to 25 per cent hike in the milk procurement price instead of the 9 to 10 per cent price rise declared by Sabar Dairy this year.
"Hundreds of cattle rearers, who are members of this dairy, gathered outside the dairy seeking a meaningful dialogue with the board of directors over milk procurement prices. They must get justice. I urge the board of directors to accept their demand. I condemn the police action against cattle rearers, who are the real owners of this dairy," Zala said. PTI