Hazaribag (Jharkhand), Jan 20 (PTI) Villagers clashed among themselves during a public hearing organized by the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) for a private coal company at Barkagaon in Hazaribag district of the state on Tuesday, a senior police officer said.
A date for a fresh hearing will be fixed later.
Hazaribag Superintendent of Police Anjani Anjan told PTI that a group of villagers attacked another group during the public hearing organised at a football ground in Goldalpura in Barkagaon.
“The public hearing had to be cancelled as the clash created chaos and the atmosphere turned violent due to the presence of people protesting against the public hearing,” the SP said.
According to eyewitnesses, a large number of people armed with spears, arrows and sickles arrived at the public hearing site in tractors and stormed directly into the venue. Most of them were wearing masks, mufflers and helmets to conceal their faces. Those who had already been present there also engaged in the clash.
“In a pre-planned manner, the attackers assaulted the farmers, villagers and other raiyats present there. Even women were not spared and were beaten, leading to screams and panic at the scene,” a police official said.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition and BJP state president Babulal Marandi condemned the incident on the X platform and questioned the government’s functioning.
Former Barkagaon MLA Amba Prasad also reached the spot and spoke to the villagers.
So far, no arrest has been made in this connection. PTI CORR ANB NN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.