Farmers and residents of Mylaram village in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana on Monday launched a relay hunger strike to protest against mining activities in the area as police arrested several people to crack down on the ongoing agitation.

The police also detained human rights activist Prof Haragopal and Gaddam Laxman, president of the Civil Liberties Committee at Veldanda when they were on their way to Mylaram to support the protests by the villagers against mining in the area.

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The villagers of Mylaram in Balmoor Mandal had decided to launch a relay hunger strike to draw the attention of authorities to the allegedly illegal quartz mining that was being carried out at the Mylaram hill in the village vicinity.

The villagers and farmers, apprehensive about the adverse impact on the environment and their livelihood are protesting against mining by private individuals by citing a resolution of the gram sabha which the protestors say was fake. Villagers complained that no public hearing was conducted before giving permission for mining. They alleged that bribes were paid to the sarpanch and some youths to carry on the mining activities which had been stopped earlier.

The villagers had placed thorny bushes on the roads leading to the village to prevent access to police. However, police swooped down at 4 am to arrest the protestors and foil their hunger strike.

Following the arrests, several villagers including women took to the streets with pesticide bottles threatening to commit suicide. They demanded the immediate release of those arrested. Prof Haragopal who had expressed solidarity with Mylaram protests was also detained on his way to the village to initiate the relay hunger strike.

BRS leader, T Harish Rao condemned the arrest of Prof. Haragopal. Rao took to social media to express support for the villagers saying the government’s action reminded him of the Emergency.

He said, “The arrests of civil rights leader Prof. Haragopal who went to extend support to the protests by villagers against mining in Mylaram, Nagarkurnool district is inhuman. We strongly condemn it. It is inhuman to suppress the voices of leaders of civil society organizations fighting on behalf of the people while making claims of public governance and restoration of democracy.”