Farmers and land owners today went on a rampage damaging police vehicles to protest land acquisition at Karchhna near Allahabad where the Jaypee Group proposes to set up a coal-fired thermal power plant.
The agitators also alleged one farmer was killed in police firing, a charge denied by the Uttar Pradesh government. The deceased had been identified as Gulab Vishwakarma. Police said the death had nothing to do with the agitation.
The coal-fired plant proposes to have an installed capacity of 1,320 Mw.
Some land owners were reportedly sitting on fast demanding better compensation for their agricultural land for past five days, while the agitation is said to be simmering for long over the issue. The farmers claimed the company had promised job to one person of every family, whose land was being acquired, but it had not been fulfilled.
According to reports, the condition of those sitting on fast deteriorated this morning triggering the violent protest, especially when police tried to remove them to hospital.
Soon after the agitation broke out, senior district and police officials rushed to Karchhana, about 30 kilometres from Allahabad district headquarters.
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Police used force, including firing in air and lobbing tear gas shell, to disperse the agitators, who also allegedly attacked the personnel of the Jaypee Group.
About 20 people, including police officials and personnel, besides villagers were wounded in the ensuing clash. The violent mob disrupted the Allahabad-Mirzapur highway and railroads, disrupting movement of some trains.
Additional Director General of Police (law and order) Brij Lal said in Lucknow adequate police force had been rushed to the spot and situation brought under control.
A total of 1,400 acres of land is to be acquired for the project, of which over 500 acres had already been acquired.
In the past, land acquisition issues had stalled/delayed progress of several mega projects in Uttar Pradesh, including the Yamuna Expressway, Lucknow Industrial Development Authority and the proposed international airport in Kushinagar.