Tiruchirappalli:  A Tamil Nadu Police officer has been arrested after he kicked a motorcycle on a busy road, forcing a pregnant woman who was riding pillion to fall and die, officials said on Thursday.

The four-month pregnant woman, identified as Usha, was killed after crashing on the road in Tiruchirapalli on Wednesday, triggering huge protests. The officer was taken into custody later. The 30-year-old woman wore no helmet.

"It is a clear case of murder. The traffic police initially allowed us to go. But this official chased us and kicked the bike, resulting in my wife's death," her husband Raja told a television channel on Thursday.

Political leaders on Thursday demanded strong action against the erring Traffic Police Inspector, identified only as Kamaraj.

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Kalaburagi: Members of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS) and the Taluk Raitha Hitarakshana Samiti protested outside the Siddasiri Ethanol Power Unit in Chincholi, demanding appropriate minimum support price (MSP) to sugarcane farmers in Chincholi.

Pointing out that it was decided at the meeting chaired by District In-charge Minister Priyank Kharge on November 15 to provide farmers an MSP of Rs 2,950 per tonne of sugarcane with an additional Rs 50 as support price from sugar factory owners, the protesting farmers also demanded that the decision be implemented.

“The Siddasiri sugar factory owner has violated the agreement by paying each farmer only Rs 2,550,” the farmers have alleged.

President of the KPRS Kalaburagi District Unit Sharanabasappa Mamashetti said, “When he opened the factory, legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal had assured that the factory would pay farmers in Kalaburagi an additional Rs 100, but has failed to live up to the word.”

The protesting farmers have demanded that the authorities concerned give priority to sugarcane farmers of Chincholi and Kalagi taluks to support the sugarcane crop. “Also, the factories should employ local youngsters and due measures should be taken to ensure the safety of the drivers of sugarcane transport vehicles,” they said.

They also handed their memorandum to Tahsildar Subbanna Jamakhandi and Power Ethanol Unit General Manager Dayananda Banagara.

The Tahsildar has assured that a meeting with the sugar factory owners would be held to discuss the issues raised by the farmers.