Tension During Fertiliser Distribution in Chhatarpur

Bhopal: A major uproar broke out in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh, after the government’s subsidised fertiliser stock ran short, triggering anger among farmers.
During the chaos, Naib Tehsildar Ritu Singhai of Saunra Mandal was accused of slapping a student and roughly handling farmers, including allegedly grabbing one farmer by the collar and pushing a woman.
Videos of the confrontation spread rapidly across local platforms.

Collector Issues Notice to the Officer

Chhatarpur Collector Parth Jaiswal issued a formal notice to Singhai, seeking an immediate explanation.
The notice clearly states that disciplinary action will be taken if her response is not satisfactory.

Incident in Para Village: Long Queues, High Frustration

The incident happened in Para village, where hundreds of farmers had been waiting since early morning to collect urea fertiliser.

Student Says She Was Slapped Over Token Request

Gudiya Patel, a student, said she asked for a distribution token, but the officer told her that women would not be given tokens.
When she repeated her request, she alleges the officer slapped her.

Patel also said the officer took her name and Aadhaar number and threatened legal action.

She explained that she has been trying to buy fertiliser for three weeks, standing in line from 2 am every day, but still receiving nothing.

Delay in Token Distribution Increases Anger

On the day of the incident, counters opened late, and farmers were informed no tokens would be issued due to heavy crowds.
Fresh tokens will now be distributed from December 6, officials said.

Farmers said only a few people received tokens even though urea stock had arrived.
This led to rising frustration across the crowd.

Farmers Block Road, Alleging Mismanagement

A large group of farmers blocked Satai Road, demanding immediate access to fertiliser.
They raised slogans accusing authorities of poor management and claiming that urea was being sold on the black market for ₹300–₹500 per bag.

Over 600 farmers waited near the grain market throughout the day, but many left without fertiliser.

Farmers said they had been forced to travel to different areas for days due to continuous shortages, with similar protests occurring in Shivpuri and Dhar districts as well.

Administration Responds: Counters Were Functional

Additional Collector Milan Nagdave visited the site, stating that all five distribution counters were operating but the issue was under review.
He stressed that officials must show patience and restraint when dealing with distressed citizens.

Further action will be taken once the officer’s explanation is evaluated.

Officer Hospitalised After Incident

Soon after the altercation, Ritu Singhai’s health worsened, and she was admitted to Chhatarpur District Hospital.
Officials said she has been working non-stop on fertiliser distribution for several days.

Farmers Demand Immediate Action

The confrontation has intensified public anger, with farmers demanding urgent steps to fix the fertiliser crisis in the district.
The ongoing shortage continues to disrupt farming activities across multiple regions of Madhya Pradesh.