In Bihar’s Buxar district on Wednesday morning, a group of farmers protesting the lack of compensation for land acquisition grew violent and attacked the police officers attempting to subdue them.
The farmers said that they had been protesting peacefully against the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) power plant company at Buxar’s Chousa locality for a new rate of land acquisition for the project at rates decided 12 years ago when the plots were bought. The construction of a 1320 MW coal power plant began at a cost of ₹11,000 crore in 2021.
The police and the power plant were both stoned by the farmers. They were armed with sticks and rods, damaged police cars, and set a car on fire. At the SJVN plant’s main gate, they also set fire to tyres and obstructed the road. After firing in the air, the police attempted to manage the situation, but the farmers continued to demonstrate. According to reports, four police officers were hurt during a brick-throwing and attack when a major police presence was deployed.
For the previous 85 days, the farmers had organised protests in this location. They demonstrated on Tuesday in front of the plant’s locked main gate, demanding to be paid the current market price or value for the agricultural land the government-run power company was acquiring.
On Tuesday at around 11.45 p.m., numerous police officers arrived in the Banarpur hamlet, which is part of the Muffasil police station area, and are accused of breaking open the homes of some farmers who were sleeping with their relatives and beating them with batons and boots.
Four people, including the protest leader Narendra Tiwary, were detained by the police. They allegedly used foul language and abused the women as well. A video of the police intervention quickly gained popularity on social media.
On March 9, 2019, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi placed the plant’s foundation stone. The Himachal Pradesh government and the Centre have partnered with SJVN to build a power plant that will generate 9,828 million electricity units. In Bihar, 85% of the power will be supplied and 75% of the work is reportedly completed.
According to the Buxar district administration, a rail corridor will be constructed on 137.0077 acre land of 14 villages. The government will acquire 55.445 hectare land from 309 farmers of Chousa.
ADG (headquarters) Jitendra Singh Gangwar told HT that a contingent of police force besides Sahabad range DIG Navin Kumar Jha rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control. “The reason behind the incident is said to be related to compensation,” said Gangwar.