Representational (AI generated).
Raigarh: Several policemen were injured, and vehicles were set ablaze after an ongoing protest against a coal mining project turned violent in the Tamnar area of Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district on Saturday, PTI reported, citing police.
The mob also stormed into the coal handling plant of Jindal Power Limited, and torched a conveyor belt, two tractors, and other vehicles, besides vandalising the office premises, the officials informed.
Tension prevailed after protesters indulged in stone-pelting and set ablaze a police bus, a jeep, and an ambulance, besides damaging several other government vehicles, they said.
Villagers from 14 affected villages under the (Gare Pelma) Sector-I coal block in Tamnar area have been staging a sit-in protest at CHP chowk in Libra village since December 12 against a public hearing held for the project on December 8 at Dhaurabhatha, a statement issued by the district administration said.
"On Saturday morning, around 300 protesters gathered at the site, and some of them allegedly blocked the road, disrupting traffic. Senior revenue and police officials intervened around 10 am and persuaded the protesters to return to their tents at the designated protest site," it said.
"However, the crowd continued to swell as people from nearby villages joined, taking the strength to around 1,000. Despite repeated appeals through loudspeakers by revenue and police officials to maintain peace, the crowd allegedly turned violent around 2.30 pm, broke police barricades and attacked personnel with stones and sticks," the statement added.
Sub Divisional Officer of Police Anil Vishwakarma, Tamnar police station in-charge Kamla Pusam, and a constable sustained serious injuries in the attack, while several other policemen, including women personnel, were also hurt, it said.
They claimed the situation turned tense after police attempted to remove protesters from the demonstration site on Saturday morning.