Noida, Agra burn after land tension flares up, toll at 4

Agra**/Greater Noida:** Tempers ran high in Noida as the land acquisition row got messier on Sunday with the unrest spreading to Agra. The protesters fought a pitched battle with the police and torched vehicles nearby. The toll from the violence now stands at four. Four policemen were injured in Chaugaan village in Agra when farmers turned violent and clashed with the police demanding higher compensation for their land acquired for Yamuna Expressway. “Four policemen were injured when farmers turned violent during a protest and indulged in arson,” Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Brij Lal said in Lucknow, adding irate villagers torched several vehicles and tents at the construction site. A protester, identified as Kalu, injured in Saturday’s clashes between the police and farmers at Bhatta Parsaul village in Gautam Buddha Nagar district, a Delhi suburb, has succumbed to his injuries. [caption id=“attachment_5876” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Police in action during a violent clash with farmers from Bhatta Parsaul village in Greater Noida on Saturday. Farmers have been agitating for better compensation for their land acquired by Uttar Pradesh government. PTI “]  [/caption] Authorities have turned the village into a fortress and prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been clamped in the district. Two policemen – Manvir Singh and Manohar Singh – and a farmer Rajveer were killed on Saturday in clashes that erupted after the police swooped on the village to rescue three roadways employees held hostage by the farmers since Friday demanding better compensation for the land acquired by the state government. UP police announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for arrest of Manvir Singh Tevatia, who is leading the farmers’ agitation at Bhatta Parsaul since January 17. “Tevatia, along with around 50 men, has been instigating the innocent farmers. Ninety nine percent farmers are satisfied with the new rehabilitation policy of the state,” Lal, who visited the village to take stock of situation on Saturday night, said. Area around the village has been sealed off by the Provincial Armed Constabulary and the dharna site made out of bounds. The DGP had on Saturday said that 15-20 people have been arrested after the violence. Police sources claimed that most protesters have gone into hiding. Villagers alleged that personnel of Provincial Armed Constabulary misbehaved and ransacked houses, a charge denied by the force. The situation remained tense in the village, where farmers set private vehicles on fire and a bus on Saturday night. District Magistrate Deepak Aggarwal, who suffered a bullet wound in his leg, and SSP SN Singh, who was also injured along with scores of others, are recuperating. Their condition is stable, officials said. There were reports of the state government considering transfer of some senior police officers, but district police remained tight-lipped on the issue. PTI