Watch: Jogulamba Gadwal farmers handcuffed despite bail; Congress govt faces backlash

Twelve farmers protesting an ethanol plant in Telangana were paraded in handcuffs a day after receiving bail, sparking widespread outrage. Visuals of their treatment drew criticism from the public and political parties, especially the BRS, accusing the Congress of humiliation.

Mahabubnagar: Triggering widespread outrage across Telangana, around 12 farmers from Rajoli in Jogulamba Gadwal district were brought to the Alampur court in handcuffs on Wednesday, a day after being granted bail in a case related to protests against an ethanol plant near Pedda Dhanwada in the district.

Visuals of the handcuffed farmers, shackled and escorted under heavy police presence from the Mahabubnagar jail to the Alampur court, have gone viral on social media, sparking sharp criticism of the Congress government and its treatment of farmers. The scenes, reminiscent of similar incidents in Lagacherla, are being condemned as a blatant insult to farmers in Telangana.

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The farmers were arrested on June 4 after a large-scale agitation involving 12 villages opposing the ethanol factory. While cases were filed against 41 farmers, police arrested 12 of them and produced them before the court, which remanded them to 14 days of judicial custody. Though a special court in Gadwal granted them conditional bail on Tuesday, delays in processing the release orders meant their remand technically expired only on Wednesday. Citing procedural requirements, police brought them again to the Alampur Junior Civil Judge in handcuffs — in violation of norms.

After bail bonds of Rs.10,000 were submitted, the judge issued release orders, and the farmers were released from the Mahabubnagar jail the same evening.

BRS leaders slammed the Congress government for treating protesting farmers like criminals. They questioned the rationale behind such treatment of farmers. “Handcuffing farmers who secured bail is nothing short of State-sponsored humiliation,” they said.

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