Hubballi: Farmers are threatening to hurl their own “Made in India” missile – cow dung - at politicians and officials visiting Navalgund taluk if the police does not release the men arrested from Yamanur village for the violence during the Mahadayi stir.

Accusing the police of arresting innocent farmers, who had nothing to do with setting fire to government offices during the agitation, farmer leader and state sugarcane growers’ association president, Kurubur Shantakumar, told reporters here that politicians and officials daring to enter Yamanur would be welcomed with cow dung missiles if they remained behind bars.

“All we want is early resolution of the inter-state dispute holding up the release of the Mahadayi water. Both Congress and BJP leaders should persuade the Centre to resolve the dispute,” he said.

Navalgund JD(S) MLA, N H Konareddy too claimed the police had lodged 187 farmers in jails in Ballari, Chitradurga and Dharwad although they were not part of the violence during the Mahadayi bandh. Appealing to CM Siddaramaiah to intervene and release the arrested farmers, he called for a special Cabinet meeting to withdraw the cases filed against them.

"A 17-year-old too has been lodged in Dharwad jail and even children and the old were assaulted by the police. They are now undergoing physical and mental torture in the jail," he said.

A lawyers' association president, B.D. Hiremath is meanwhile trying to get the teenager, Harikrishna, released on bail so he can attend his UPSC exam which is due on August 7.