Sangria MLA hurt in lathi-charge during the Mahapanchayat against ethanol unit

Sangria MLA and Rajasthan Pradesh Youth Congress president Abhimanyu Poonia was among the protesters who were injured as police used ‘lathis’ to disperse a mammoth gathering named Mahapanchayat which was also attended by members of farmers' organisations from Punjab and Haryana, along with leaders from various political parties, including the Congress near SDM office in Tibbi segment of Hanumangarh district.

Poonia was referred to the District Civil Hospital, Hanumangarh as local doctors observed that CT scan and MRI may be required for a perfect treatment.

The Mahapanchayat was held against the ethanol plant being set up at a cost of Rs 450 crore by a private company in Chak 5 JRK of Rathikhera Gram Panchayat. Members of the Factory Hatao Sangharsh Samiti and other farmer leaders addressed the gathering. Markets in the town were closed and Internet services were also shut down in view of the protest.

Farmer leader Ravi Josan said that every villager is involved in this fight to prevent the ethanol plant. Josan, calling the factory "toxic," said that the air, water and land of the area would not be allowed to be polluted. He gave a call to win this fight through unity. Other speakers accused the government of polluting the environment at the behest of a capitalist.

The administration assigned officers and employees different responsibilities for managing the Mahapanchayat. Police were deployed on all roads leading into and out of the town. Tractor traffic was blocked on the Ghaggar River bridge from early morning. Heavy cement pillar barricades were placed on the Ghaggar bridge. The movement of heavy vehicles was also restricted. Almost all private schools in Tibbi were also closed for security reasons.

The Sangharsh Samiti's protest against the ethanol plant has been ongoing for the past 15 months.

According to reports, police used force when a section of the crowd reportedly entered the factory premises and ransacked the building material used for construction. The boundary wall had been constructed by deploying a police force to prevent hurdles. Witnesses said that a bike and two other vehicles were torched by the crowd that turned restive after the lathi-charge.

The promoters of the industrial unit had explained that farmers would benefit by sale of crops to be used to manufacture ethanol. They also assured that polluted waste will be treated and not disposed of in the open.