Karimnagar (Telangana), May 6 (PTI) Four farmers died, and three others were injured after tin-roofed sheds and dilapidated structures collapsed in two separate incidents in Mancherial district of Telangana, officials said on Wednesday.
The incidents occurred in two villages of Luxettipet mandal late on Tuesday night, when the farmers were taking shelter in the structures following heavy rain and strong winds.
Hitting out at the Congress government over the deaths, the opposition BJP and BRS alleged that the farmers died while waiting for the procurement of their produce.
According to officials, two people died when a shed caved in at Kothuru village. In a separate incident in Gampalapalli village, two more persons died after another structure collapsed, police and district authorities said.
The three injured were shifted to a hospital in Karimnagar for treatment, police said.
Preliminary reports indicate that unseasonal rains accompanied by strong winds weakened the structures, leading to the collapses.
Condoling the deaths, BRS Working President K T Rama Rao demanded an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh to the kin of the deceased and advanced medical treatment for the injured.
Alleging negligence in procurement, he claimed that seven farmers had died at procurement centres in three days. “These deaths are murders committed by the government,” he said in a statement.
State BJP president N Ramchander Rao said the deaths at grain collection centres were due to the Congress government’s “incompetence”.
He questioned why farmers were being forced to wait for weeks at procurement centres when the Central government bears the entire financial burden, including MSP, labour, and transportation costs.
He also asked why the state government was hesitant to facilitate procurement despite financial support from the Centre.
He demanded that the government provide substantial compensation immediately to the families of the deceased farmers. PTI CORR VVK SJR SSK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.