synopsis
Alleging discrimination in compensation for acquired land, the wife of a soldier staged a sit-in protest with her children in Hangarahalli in Kunigal taluk of Karnataka's Tumkur district. Their land is part of the portion acquired for the construction of the road between Magadi, Huliyurdurga and Somwarpet.
Shasikala's spouse Kambaiah is in Central Reserve Police Force and currently stationed in Jammu and Kashmir. Due to the lack of holidays, he has not been able to visit home since January.
"Since 2017, when the work began, our neighbours have received Rs 1.30 lakh as compensation for one gunta (1,089 square feet) of land. For our land, they have only offered Rs 6,000," Shasikala said, seeking a 'just settlement'.
"Despite submitting all the paperwork, we still have not been compensated for 15 acres of land. Since 2021, we have been fighting. But nobody seems to care. The government agents in charge of land purchases advise us to take the money from where it belongs -- in court," she claimed.
Tired of running pillar-to-post, Shasikala arrived at the road construction site along with her kids and sat for protest. As a result, there was traffic jam in the area.
Rain delays military parade
Meanwhile, the Diamond Jubilee (1963-2023) of the military school of Vijayapur, during which the Indian Air Force Orchestra wasd to perform, at the Dr BR Ambedkar Stadium in the city had to be cancelled owing to rain.
Many city schoolchildren and residents who had come to witness the parade were left disappointed when they discovered they would not be able to enter the parade route.