Violence erupts in Bihar’s Buxar after cops thrash farmers

According to the police, farmers torched at least 16 vehicles, including police vans, three fire tenders, an ambulance and three buses belonging to the state-run Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN)

Patna Violence erupted in Bihar’s Buxar district on Wednesday after a large group of farmers — who have been protesting against “inadequate” compensation being paid to them for their land acquired for a thermal power plant — torched several vehicles and clashed with the police, who, they alleged assaulted villagers during a raid on Tuesday night.

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According to the police, farmers torched at least 16 vehicles, including police vans, three fire tenders, an ambulance and three buses belonging to the state-run Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) — a joint venture of the Himachal Pradesh government and the Centre — which is building the thermal power plant at Chausa. They also ransacked the makeshift staff quarters and office at the site, police said.

Several police personnel were injured as farmers pelted stones on them, said a senior officer, adding that the police had to resort to baton-charge and firing in the air to control the protesters.

Additional director general of police (ADG) (headquarters) Jitendra Singh Gangwar told HT that a police contingent has been rushed to the spot. “The situation is now under control.”

The protest that has been going on since October 17 last year turned violent after a police team led by Muffasil police station house officer (SHO) Amit Kumar raided Banarpur village around 11.45 pm on Tuesday, barged into the houses of some farmers and assaulted them with batons and boots.

Police also detained three people, including Narendra Tiwary, who was leading the protest, alleged farmers.

“It was around 11.30pm when there was a commotion and loud shouting from my neighbour Anil Tiwary’s (who was also detained by the police) house,” villager Suresh Rajbhar told HT. “We were shocked to see that the police broke open the doors and mercilessly thrashed men and women... Some of the cops used my terrace to reach Tiwary’s house while another group surrounded it from outside. They also abused the women and used filthy language against them. Men and women from other houses heard screaming for help, as the police continue to attack them with batons. We were helpless and could not help them.”

A video clip of the police action has been widely circulated on social media which purportedly shows the police team also assaulting women and using objectionable language against them even as they scream for help.

HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

Deputy inspector general of police (DIG) (Sahabad range) Naveen Chandra Jha, who rushed to the spot where the violence erupted, assured farmers of action against policemen who assaulted the villagers. “The SHO has already been relieved of his charge and issued a show-cause notice,” he said.

However, ADG Gangwar said a first information report (FIR) has been registered against 24 named and 250 unidentified people on the basis of the statement of circle officer on the charges of obstruction of government work. “When police tried to arrest them, family members of the accused attacked them. Later, police arrested three people,” Gangwar said, adding that separate FIRs will be lodged for violence on Wednesday.

Dinanath Rajbhar, a protesting farmer, alleged that the land of farmers was being forcibly acquired at old rates. “The company is trying to build a pipeline from the river Ganga to the power plant and a rail corridor from Chausa railway station through our agriculture field without paying real compensation,” Rajbhar said. “On Saturday, we obstructed the work as crops in the field were not yet ready for harvest. But on Monday, the company with the help of the administration started the construction work again.”

He also alleged that police have arrested several protesting villagers and sent them to jail on false charges.

The farmers have been demanding new rates for their land being acquired, claiming they were being offered compensation on land prices decided 12 years ago, when the plots were acquired by the district administration.

Buxar (Sadar) sub-divisional officer (SDO) Dhirendra Kumar Mishra, however, said several farmers have already accepted the compensation payments. “To date, 80 farmers have accepted the compensation conditionally. If authorities concerned are directed to provide compensation on new rates, the administration will pay them accordingly,” said the SDO.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the ₹11,000-crore power plant on March 9, 2019. The construction of the 1,320-megawatt coal-fired plant began on September 17, 2019.

Almost 75% of the work on the construction of the power plant is said to be completed, said officials familiar with the matter. Once operational, 85% of the power generated by the plant will be supplied to Bihar, they added.

According to the Buxar district administration, a rail corridor and a pipeline is to be constructed on 150 acres of land spreading across 14 villages, for which the land was acquired from 900 farmers of Chausa.

Buxar district magistrate (DM) Aman Samir told HT that the obstruction was only for the rail corridor and water pipeline, and not for the power plant. “We served notices to all the farmers separately and 105 had submitted their documents, of which 80 got compensation,” he said.

(With inputs from Prashant Ranjan in Ara)