This Article is From Nov 06, 2012

Anti-mining villagers clash with police in West Bengal

Anti-mining villagers clash with police in West Bengal
Birbhum: Villagers in West Bengal's Loba in Birbhum district have alleged that 11 people have been injured in police firing. The state's Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee has denied that the police fired at the villagers; he said six villagers were injured when they clashed with cops, but none has bullet injuries.

Mr Banerjee also said that the villagers attacked the police with bows and arrows and that 27 cops were injured.

The clash reportedly occurred late on Monday night during a police attempt to recover a coal mining company's earth-mover that had been confiscated by the villagers.

"Police came in the night to seize the vehicle. The villagers protested against illegal mining and the poor compensation and refused to let them take away the vehicle. The police lathicharged, used teargas and then fired at us," said Sheikh Babul, a villager.

"Four villagers were seriously injured; two of them might not survive. We are angry. We will not allow the police here," he said.

The earth-mover belongs to DVC Emta, which has coal mining rights in Birbhum. The villagers had snatched the vehicle last year alleging that their land was given to DVC Emta for open-cast coal mining, but they got poor compensation.
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