Sriganganagar, October 20
At least two dozen persons, including four policemen and women, were injured in violent clashes between agitating farmers and the police in Ganganagar district of Rajasthan today.

A heavy police force was sent to Raola after the clashes. Senior police and district officials have reached the site. The clashes occurred in 7 KD village and 12 KND village.

When policemen raided 7 KD village in the morning to arrest agitating farmers, they were stopped by the women there. The police then lathicharged the women to disperse them and later lobbed teargas shells, which left one dozen women injured, including one pregnant woman identified as Anju.

According to eyewitnesses, a teargas shell seriously injured Kali, wife of Thakarram. Roshni Devi, wife of Ramswaroop, Girdawari, wife of Kishan Ram, three girls “Santosh, Annu and Mamta” and wife of Satpal in the clashes.

The police had to return as the women posed a strong challenge to them but arrested four persons from the village.

The second incident occured in 12 KND village where the villagers resisted the police raids. The protesters included a number of women. The police then resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Elderly Kaluram and several women were injured.

The villagers alleged that the police fired rubber pellets on innocent women and girls.

After the news of police the lathi charge spread, thousands of people gathered on the road near 12 KND and blocked roads by cutting down trees.

Sensing the tense situation and the highly agitated villagers, the policemen posted in Raola town left their posts and returned to police stations. — UNI