Police book 40 villagers over Ken-Betwa dam protest in MP’s Chhatarpur

Police filed three FIRs after villagers protested against the Daudhan dam, demanding compensation, land and rehabilitation under the Ken-Betwa project

Published on: Feb 11, 2026, 20:47:32 IST

By Shruti Tomar, Anupam Pateriya

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Bhopal: Around 40 villagers booked on Tuesday night for creating a ruckus, blocking a road and pelting stones during a six-day protest against the construction of the Daudhan dam, part of the Ken-Betwa river linking project, in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district.

Since Friday, the protesters have been staging demonstrations seeking proper compensation or a rehabilitation plan (ANI/ Representative photo)

Since Friday, the protesters have been staging demonstrations seeking proper compensation or a rehabilitation plan. They were also demanding the immediate release of activist Amit Bhatnagar, who was leading the protest. The villagers demanded legal guarantees for their rights, compensation of ₹15 lakh, and agricultural land.

“The struggle is not limited to compensation, but rather a fight to protect water, forests, life and constitutional rights. We will not move from the dam site until our rights are ensured,” protester Suman Adivasi said.

Chhatarpur district collector Parth Jaiswal said negotiations with villagers are ongoing. “Their demands are linked to government policy matters. We are trying to place them on the proper platform. Work at the dam site is currently halted due to the agitation, but we expect a resolution soon,” he said.

The Chhatarpur police filed three FIRs for creating a ruckus, attacking a marriage procession in Bijawar and pelting stones at police.

Also Read: Madhya Pradesh election: Ken-betwa river project looms over poll arena

“The protesters on Tuesday reached the Bijawar tehsil office in large numbers to protest against the district administration. They blocked the Bijawar-Matguwa road from around 3 pm, which continued until late at night. They turned violent and pelted stones at police. The first FIR has been registered for obstructing a public servant from performing his duty. They also attacked a marriage procession. Later, they created a ruckus on the road. The district administration tried to convince them for the past six days, but they are not ready to listen,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Agam Jain said.

A heavy police force has now been deployed at the dam site and the Bijawar tehsil.

However, the villagers alleged that they were protesting peacefully and that police used force and a water cannon during the night.

“We were sitting peacefully at the Bijawar tehsil office on Tuesday night when they arrested social activist Amit Bhatnagar, who was helping us with the protest. Police suddenly came and used a water cannon. They used force to disperse us. They registered FIRs against us to suppress our voices,” Rajesh Kumar, another protester, said.

The villagers said that stoves would not be lit in 15 villages until their demands were met.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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