Greater Noida villagers back Rahul Gandhi's claims

Eleven days after two farmers and two policemen were killed in Bhatta, residents are coming out in support of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who reported that the police killed several men and raped women in the area. Darpan Singh reports. In pics: Rahul's proof | Ash samples sent to Agra lab

Eleven days after two farmers and two policemen were killed at this village, residents are coming out in support of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who reported that the police killed several men and raped women in the area.

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"Policemen say only two farmers were killed on May 7. They're lying," wailed Mamta Devi, 30.

"In the evening, we all noticed four-five bodies lying near the site of demonstration. Policemen hurriedly burnt them in cow dung heaps."

She said, "The real cruelty began at night after the gunfire stopped. Cops went on a rampage, ransacking and burning houses, raping women and killing more men."

"They say my father, Shiv Kumar Sharma, is in hospital. But I don't know where. I only hope he's alive… If they have done this to me, they must have done much worse to other women," said Neha, 18.

Top police and administrative officials, however, claimed in Noida on Tuesday that the police had not committed any atrocity during and after the clashes with farmers.

But Gandhi, who gave the Uttar Pradesh police the slip and sneaked into the villages on a motorcycle on May 11, claimed to have proof of police atrocities at Bhatta-Parsaul.

And the villagers are saying the photographs Gandhi released are indeed of burnt bodies, destroyed properties and injured people. Villagers are still pointing out what looked like human remains in mounds of ashes.

The police and farmers clashed on the issue of land acquisition at lower than market prices for the Yamuna Expressway and some residential projects.