The serene coffee plantations of Chikkamagaluru, one of Karnataka's premier coffee-growing regions, are facing a bitter new challenge. A sharp increase in the theft of coffee beans, driven by high market prices this season, is causing significant distress among the district's planters and farmers.
Planters Sound Alarm Over Rising Theft Cases
The district has reported a worrying number of coffee theft cases, with a majority involving known individuals. The situation has become so severe that local planters are now urging authorities to implement stringent rules already introduced by police in the neighbouring Kodagu district to curb the menace.
BR Balakrishna Balur, president of the Mudigere Coffee Growers Association, stated that the theft situation is difficult across Chikkamagaluru. He raised significant alarms by revealing that some labourers working on the plantations themselves are involved in these acts.
A Recent Case Captured on CCTV
Balakrishna cited a specific incident to highlight the pattern. "A worker at the coffee estate of Rangaswamy, a retired commercial tax officer, in Kaske Bailu village of Gonibeedu hobli, along with a group, stole coffee beans multiple times over the past three months and sold them to a trader in the neighbouring district," he explained.
Fortunately, the theft was captured on CCTV. Following a complaint to the Gonibeedu police, the authorities apprehended the thieves and cracked the case just three days ago. Balakrishna emphasized that such cases are being reported from various parts of the district.
Demand for Kodagu-Like Stringent Measures
In Kodagu, police have issued instructions to coffee and pepper traders to mandatorily record full details of sellers. This includes their addresses, mobile numbers, transaction details, weight of produce, and amount paid. If any suspicion arises about the sellers, their photographs must be taken and their backgrounds thoroughly checked.
Balakrishna insists that the same rule should be implemented in Chikkamagaluru district. He also called for holding meetings to address farmers' grievances and increasing police patrols in residential areas within plantation zones.
The safety concern is particularly acute in the Malnad region, where many elderly individuals live alone on coffee plantations as their children work in other districts, states, or countries. To address this vulnerability, Balur suggested police patrolling at midnight, which he believes will instil fear among potential thieves and enhance security for the isolated residents.
