Police book 700 for Rewari clash; stir spreads

Over 60 people, including 40 police personnel, were injured yesterday when farmers in the village, 90-km from Delhi, clashed with police, torched several vehicles and blocked Delhi-Jaipur National Highway.

They were opposing acquisition of 3,300 acres of land in 16 villages for setting up of an industrial estate by HSIIDC.

Cases were registered against 700 unidentified villagers under Sections 148 (rioting while armed with deadly weapons), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing police personnel in the discharge of their public functions) of IPC.

They were also booked under 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to public servants to deter them from their duty), 353 ( assault to deter public servants from discharge of their duty), 307 (attempt to murder police personnel on duty), 364 (abducting in order to kill) and other sections of the IPC, police said.

The Delhi-Jaipur National Highwa has been opened.

Meanwhile, farmers in Jhajjar district today rose in protest against the government's land acquisition.

They alleged that the state government was trying to spoil their future by acquiring their "fertile land" for developing HUDA sectors in Jhajjar.

A meeting that was convened by the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti at Saini Dharamshala in Jhajjar to decide further course of action against the government's move to acquire their land, unanimously resolved that "the farmers would sit on fast-unto-death if the government does not roll back its decision of acquiring their land soon."

"We are ready to give all sacrifice to protect our fertile land from clutches of the state government. We will not tolerate any anti-farmer policy of the government which pushes the innocent and poor farmers on the path of destruction," said Mahabir Gujjar, president of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti. MORE