Two cops,farmer killed in Gr Noida violence over land

The agitating farmers alleged that a protester,who was found dead during the clashes,had been killed in police firing.

In Lucknow,DGP Karam-veer Singh told reporters that “two constables were killed when protesters fired heavily on the police team which had gone to rescue three employees of UPSRTC held hostage since yesterday.” Late this evening,police manage to rescue the three hostages.

Angry over the death of their colleagues,policemen burned haystacks and motorcycles inside a gher,an open area where the clashes began. Those trying to leave or enter the village were also caned. Tension prevailed in the area late at night but police said the situation was under control.

DGP Singh blamed farmer leader Manveer Singh Tevatia for the trouble,claiming he was “misleading people and trying to create a dispute where none actually exists”. He also blamed “vested political interest” for the outbreak of violence.

Chief Minister Mayawati announced additional financial help of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the two constables

killed in the incident,besides speedy disbursal of their dues,Singh said.

Political parties stepped in quickly with UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi attacking the BSP government. “In the home district of Mayawati,farmers are being shot dead. Farmer land is being acquired at throwaway prices,” Joshi claimed.

Condemning the police action as “brutal”,SP state president Akhilesh Yadav said the Mayawati government was “insensitive”.

It all started around noon when district officials reached Bhatta Parsol to persuade villagers to free the three UPSRTC employees. PAC units had already been deployed around the village since Friday after the employees were taken hostage.

District Magistrate Deepak Aggarwal asked the villagers to resolve the matter amicably but Tevatia,an official said,insisted that the CM come there to mediate their release. Tevatia later slipped out of the village. Aggarwal then ordered the police to move in.

Villagers resorted to firing and pelted stones at the police. Aggarwal sustained a bullet injury in the leg. SSP S N Singh too had to be rushed to hospital after he was stoned. He suffered internal bleeding.

The firing killed two UP policemen — Manveer Singh of Bulandshahr and Manohar Singh of Baghpat — while several others were injured. As police called in reinforcements from neighbouring districts,the protesters holed up in the village. In the melee,hostages Durgesh Bhardwaj,Niranjan and Jeetendra escaped and managed to hide in a temple. They were later rescued.

Until evening,police had arrested fifteen villagers. “We have placed our units in and around the village. We hope to make more arrests tomorrow. The path chosen by the villagers was unlawful. We will ensure each one of them who indulged in violence is arrested,” said ADM (Finance) Shiva Kant Dwivedi.