POLICE AND FARMERS CLASHED AT THE GATE OF CHAUSA THERMAL POWER PLANT, SEVERAL PERSONS INJURED

BUXAR (RNI) A violent clash took place in between the protesting farmers and the police at the gate of the under-construction 1320 MW Chausa Thermal plant in which over two persons from both the sides including SDO, DSP were injured. The protesting farmers pelted with stones and damaged about half a dozen police vehicles. Driver of a bus passing through Buxar-Kochas main road was also injured in the stone pelting. Later the Buxar DM Anshul Agrawl along with the Buxar SP Manish Kumar and heavy police force arrived at the incident site and remove the protesting farmers from the dharana site using force. Some of them are taken into custody for interrogation. Chaos created at the dharana site following the incident.

Buxar SP Manish Kumar said that police are investigating the matter and an FIR will be instituted against the guilty persons.

It may be mentioned here that the farmers of the area were on war path and were protesting at the gate of the under-construction 1320 MW Chausa Thermal plant to press the fulfillment of their 11 point demands. At the direction of the Patna High Court, the Buxar SDO imposed section 144 around the area and directed to lift the dharna from the site. Talks to solve the problems were held in between the district administration and the company and the representatives of farmers but no solution was found and the farmers continued their dharana in support of their demands.

To execute their order, officials of the district along with heavy police force arrived at the dharana site and tried to remove the protesting farmers forcibly due to which the agitating farmers became even more furious and started pelting with stones. In retaliation, police also started using baton in which dozens of agitating farmers including women were injured. On the other hand, a number of police personnel including the SDO Dhirendra Mishra, DSP Dheeraj Kumar, SHO Buxar Muffassil police station Chandan Kumar Jha and some lady constables were also injured.

On complaint of the company, the Patna High Court took cognizance of the matter earlier and had directed the Buxar district administration to establish coordination so that the work at the gate of on-going work on the Chausa 1320 MW Thermal Power plant is not affected but reportedly the officials of the district instead of establishing coordination, used forces and ultimately the situation took an ugly turn.

Buxar District Public Relation Officer (DPRO), in a press release, said that anti-social elements disrupted peace and law and order situation at the gate of the under-construction 1320 MW Chausa Thermal Power Plant in a planned manner and also waived firearms and fired in the air. They also pelted stones on the magistrates and police officers and police personnel and injured them.