Delhi villagers, army personnel involved in brawl

NEW DELHI - A brawl took place between villagers and army personnel over a piece of disputed land in south Delhi Tuesday, police said. No case has been registered.

According to Bhatti Kalan villagers, at least eight people were injured in the incident.

The villagers alleged the brawl started at 9.30 a.m. after the army personnel set ablaze huts and a cattle shed on the land.

“We got to know about the brawl today morning. Our team rushed to the spot and the situation was brought under control,” a senior police official told IANS.

“No case has been registered,” the police official said.

According to sources, a deputy commissioner of police (DCP) and an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) inspected the area and the commanding officer (CO) of the Fatehpur Beri army camp also visited the site.

“The brawl took place after a few cows died due to a fire sparked by the army personnel. Other livestock too sustained injuries,” said Dhani Ram, a villager whose hut was damaged.

“This is an ongoing dispute. The army claims a part of land of our village as their own. We have tried in the past to inform the authorities and the army that this part of land is ours but no one seems to care,” Ram said.

“When we protested, the armymen threatened us. They even called the police. Eight to 10 of our village brothers were injured in the brawl that followed,” Ram said.