Farmers of Afzalpur taluk in Kalaburagi district of Karnataka staged a dramatic protest against the electrical outage, which has severely disrupted their agricultural activities. On Thursday, he brought a live crocodile to the local Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (GESCOM) office at Gobbur Village, transporting a reptile on a bull cart. The purpose of the unusual performance was to draw attention to their plight and urged the authorities to address the uncertain power supply that has crippled irrigation and other farming operations.
The current power schedule was protested with the increasing frustration of farmers, which provides electricity for agricultural use during early hours of morning, from 4 am. This time has not only made the operation of farming uncomfortable, but has also increased the risk of dangerous encounters with wildlife, as farmers are forced to work in the dark.
In the Afzalpur taluk located in Kalaburagi district, farmers continued to protest a unique and dramatic protest against the power outage that is severely affecting their agricultural activities. In an unprecedented step, they brought a living crocodile to the local Gulbarga … pic.twitter.com/jrmwfkswsy
– Karnataka Portfolio (@Karnatakaportf) 21 February, 2025
The idea of using a crocodile in protest came when farmer Laxman Poojari discovered reptiles in his area by giving water to crops at night. Concerned with the encounter, he and fellow farmer managed to capture the crocodile and decided to use it as a symbol of their struggle. He tied the animal to a bull cart and traveled eight kilometers to the Gescom office, demanding that the power supply bes the schedule be transferred within the day, which is starting from 4 am to 6 am. Hai, Times of India told.
The vision of a living crocodile in the Gescom office left the authorities. Farmers argued that the current power schedule not only disrupts their productivity, but also endanger their lives, as they are forced to work in the dark when wild animals, such as crocodiles, are more active. .
Police and forest department officials were quickly alerted for the situation. Sai Rahul Pavade from Devla Gangpur police station reached the spot and convinced the farmers to hand over the crocodile to the forest department, as according to Karnataka. Reptiles are estimated to be around 10 years old, later taken to the mini zoo in Kalaburagi and was untoward during the protest.
