Cane farmer dies during UP protest

Baghpat (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 6 (IANS) A 60-year-old farmer died of heart attack while staging a protest outside the office of district cane officer demanding a new cane weighing centre. It has led to tension with hundreds gathered at the spot accusing the authorities of "indifference".The farmer, Suraj Singh, had been staging a protest for the past five days with other farmers for a new centre at their village in Baghpat.Singh's death on Thursday has led to a lot of tension. Farmers have accused the authorities of 'indifference towards their just demand'."We have been demanding a new cane weighing centre for the village. This is a just demand. But authorities had been delaying the grant. Villagers approached MLAs, MPs, and even went to Lucknow, but to no avail," said Pratap Gujjar, the district president of Bharatiya Kisan Union.
--IANS amita/in