12 villagers, six security guards injured in skirmishes following row over refuelling

Violence broke out between villagers and the security staff at the Lavasa City on Tuesday morning, leaving 12 villagers and six security guards injured. Amidst gunshots and police firing, tension prevailed in the township, which saw the villagers staging a hunger strike at the Town Hall till 8 pm, demanding justice. Police too had to intervene to get the situation under control.

According to the villagers, the security guards beat up one of the members in the village on Tuesday night which led to skirmishes between the villagers and security men. Leelabai Margale, a villager who was sitting for the morcha from morning to evening, said that villagers were "tortured without reason." The incident occured when a group of villagers who were returning from a palkhi procession stopped en route to fill fuel at the fuel station. They were reportedly denied refuelling that led to heated arguments. "They beat up Bharat Patil, one of the villagers. The security guards meanwhile started firing. The villagers then came back early morning and demanded justice. They resorted to more firing leaving 10 injured,'' she said.

She has been assured by the company spokesperson of Lavasa, Suresh Pendharkar, that a joint meeting will be conducted.

"They have taken our lands and now they don't let us live in peace. They are harassing us,'' she said.

Company officers maintained that the villagers were in an inebriated state and were unnecessarily arguing.

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