Police serve notice on Raju Shetti ahead of sugarcane price road blockade at Kini toll plaza

Kolhapur police have served a notice on Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana president Raju Shetti before his agitation begins. The notice was issued under Section 168 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. It has raised the prospect of the sugarcane price issue heating up in the district.

Shetti demands a price of Rs 5,000 per tonne for sugarcane. He also says sugar factories should not be started without announcing the price. He has taken up the agitation over this demand.

Today, Tuesday, November 3, Shetti has announced his intention to stage a road blockade with supporters and workers at the Kini toll plaza on the Pune-Bengaluru highway. In view of this, the police have warned of preventive action. The notice was given by Pramod Shinde, police inspector of Shirol police station. Late at night, Deputy Superintendent of Police Amol Thakur and Inspector Pramod Shinde served the notice.

Under an order of the Kolhapur district magistrate dated October 27, prohibitory orders are in force in the district under Sections 37(1) and 37(3) of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, from 6 am on October 28 until midnight on November 9. The police have issued the notice to Shetti on the basis of these orders.

The notice directs that care be taken to ensure no untoward incident occurs during the agitation and no law-and-order problem arises. The police have also said that demands should be raised through constitutional means. They have clearly warned that if a law-and-order problem arises from Shetti or his workers during the agitation, they will be held fully responsible. The notice will be produced in court as evidence.

Even after receiving the police notice, Shetti has stuck to his plan to go ahead with the agitation. The whole district is therefore watching what happens at the Kini toll plaza today, November 3.