'gana: Protest against ethanol plant turns violent, 2 cops hurt; police vehicle torched

Hyderabad: A protest by villagers against an ethanol company turned violent in Narayanpet district of Telangana on Sunday, leaving two police personnel injured and a police vehicle was allegedly set on fire by the protesters.

The incident happened in Chittanoor village in Marikal mandal of the district after several villagers gathered there a day after stopping a tanker and holding a dharna on the road. The protesters alleged the tanker was carrying pollutants discharged by the ethanol plant, which is located near their village, and was dumping the waste in their area and polluting it. The district authorities had assured the villagers that a team of officials would look into the matter and take up verification.

Revenue and police officials were negotiating with the representatives of the protesters. However, some among them started pelting stones on the officials, a senior police official told PTI. Mild tension prevailed in the area even as the protesters allegedly set on fire a police vehicle and damaged another one, prompting the police to resort to lathi-charges to disperse the protesting villagers. "Since the protesters turned violent, we have taken action to bring the situation under control. One Circle Inspector and a Sub-Inspector have sustained injuries in the stone pelting," the official said and added that the situation was calm now.

It was not clear whether some protesters were also injured. Asked if anyone was taken into custody, the official said a case was being registered and, based on the investigation, necessary legal action will be taken. Additional forces were deployed and further probes were on. The villagers of Chittanoor, who have been holding protests for the past few months against the ethanol factory, are accusing the company for dumping pollutants in their area and polluting it. They had earlier opposed the construction of the plan