Angry villagers attack police, torch vehicles in Singrauli after bike accident

Power production was shut down after the angry villagers tried to vandalise the power plant. Around 200 police personnel were deployed near the power plant to get the situation under control

Bhopal: At least six police personnel were injured, and five buses along with three trucks were set on fire on Saturday by an angry mob after two villagers died in a road accident the night before near a private power plant in Madhya Pradesh’s Singrauli district, police said.

Three trucks were also set ablaze, and other vehicles were vandalised by the mob (Hindustan Times/representative)

Power production was shut down after the angry villagers tried to vandalise the power plant. Around 200 police personnel were deployed near the power plant to get the situation under control.

The deceaseds --- Ramlalu Yadav and Ramsagar Prajapati --- both residents of Badhora village in Gwalior were on their way to ??? on a bike when a truck loaded with coal (Is this truck going to the plant? as in why target the plant otherwise?) hit them on Friday afternoon. “Yadav and Prajapati fell into a ditch and died on the spot. The truck driver fled from the spot after the accident,” said Manish Khatri, superintendent of police (SP) , Singrauli.

Following the accident, villagers blocked roads and attacked the power plant. “The mob forced the people off the buses and set them on fire. The five buses that were torched carried power plant staff. Three trucks were also set ablaze, and other vehicles were vandalised. The villagers also prevented employees from entering the plant,” said the officer.

The Bargawan police station in-charge, Rakesh Sahu went the spot with a team of 12 policemen. “Villagers attacked them. Sahu’s hand was fractured while other policemen were injured. They were admitted to Baidhan Trauma Centre,” said Jitendra Singh, Sarai police station in-charge.

“As many 200 police personnel have been deployed near the power plant and situation is now under control. Police are trying to nab the driver of the truck. Action will be taken against those involved in vandalism and attacks on police force,” said Khatri.