Mysore/Mysuru: Upset over the action of RTO officials, who had seized a couple of vegetable lorries for alleged violation of traffic norms, farmers under the banner of KRRS and Hasiru Sene, staged a demonstration in front of the RTO (West) Office in Chamarajapuram here recently.

Accusing the RTO officials of heavily penalising the vegetable lorry drivers, who were asked to pay a fine of more than Rs.10,000 for alleged violation of road traffic regulations during a vehicle checking drive on Mysuru-Nanjangud road on  Sunday, the farmers questioned the attitude of RTO officials at a time when farmers were a distressed lot due to COVID-19 crisis. Maintaining that the seizure of the lorries for non-payment of fines had resulted in heavy losses to the farmers as the vegetables could not be sold in time, they demanded the suspension of the officials who acted harshly against the farmers.

Farmer leaders Hoskote Basavaraj, Marankaiah, Prasanna of Jana Sangram Parishat and others were present.