Balod, Nov 29 (PTI) A stampede-like situation prevailed at a cooperative society centre in Chhattisgarh's Balod district on Monday when a large number of farmers turned up to collect tokens to sell their paddy at the minimum support price, officials said, adding that some members of the crowd, including women, suffered minor injuries.

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The incident occurred on the campus of the Seva Sahakari Samiti centre in Piparchhedi village, around 100 km away from the Chhattisgarh capital Raipur.

The society manager has been suspended for alleged negligence in the distribution of tokens, the officials said.

The paddy procurement at the minimum support price (MSP) is scheduled to start from December 1 in Chhattisgarh which is done through cooperative societies set up at the village level. The token distribution process to farmers for procurement has begun.

The Piparchhedi society centre had called up farmers from all four villages under its jurisdiction for collecting tokens on Monday due to which a large number of cultivators, including women, had reached there, Balod Collector Janmejay Mahobe said.

“Farmers had gathered outside the centre as its gate was closed and when it was opened, the crowd rushed inside the premises that led to chaos. Had the gate been kept open, the incident could have been averted," he said.

Some people fell on the ground while trying to enter the society premises and suffered minor bruises, he said, adding that they were discharged from a local hospital after first aid.

"There were some lapses on the part of the society manager. Officials of the cooperative bank (which handles operations of society) have been asked to take action against him," Mahobe said.

A Nayab Tehsildar (revenue officer) will be deputed at the centre to ensure smooth management, he added.

A video of the incident shows a crowd of villagers jostling to enter the centre as soon as its gate was opened. In the melee, some farmers, including women, fell on the ground at the entry point after they were pushed from behind. They tried to get up but others fell on them and many even trampled them.

Some men standing nearby came to their rescue and tried to push back the crowd. The women and men who were trapped in the crowd were screaming for help.

According to eyewitnesses, over a dozen people sustained minor injuries in this incident.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Chhattisgarh government said that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jila Sahakari Kendriya Bank Maryadit (Durg) has suspended the manager of Seva Sahkari Samiti, Yashwant Kumar Sahu, for negligence.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)