30 injured in Uttar Pradesh villagers’ clash with cops

LUCKNOW - At least 30 people, including three policemen, were injured when villagers in Uttar Pradesh’s Amdedkar Nagar district Friday fought a pitched battle with the police protesting the alleged delay in dousing fire in wheat fields.

Resorting to vandalism and arson, the mob in Mohanna village pelted stones at police and tried to set ablaze two police jeeps. Later, police baton charged the protesters to disperse the unruly mob.

“We used the force to bring the situation under control. At that time we had no other option,” Superintendent of Police Dayanand Mishra told reporters in Ambedkar Nagar, some 300 km from Lucknow.

“Additional security has been deployed in view of the violent protests by the locals. The situation is tense, but well under control,” he added.

Even as Mishra claimed no one was seriously injured in the incident, locals alleged at least 10 people received serious injuries and were rushed to hospitals.

Another police officer said: “At least 30 people were injured in the incident.”

Initially, the fire broke out in the wheat fields of Madhav Kumar, but with the delay in arrival of fire tenders, the blaze spread to adjoining fields and engulfed 10-12 thatched houses.

As the fire tenders arrived, the villagers first targeted the firefighting officials and later attacked the policemen.