Bokaro: Several displaced persons and policemen have been injured, during the anti-encroachment drive conducted by district administration in Dhangarhi under Harla police station on Wednesday morning. Protestors threw stones at police, who responded by retaliating with lathicharges, rubber bullets, and tear gas. To maintain control over the situation, a police team has camped on the spot.
Deputy Commissioner, Bokaro, Kuldeep Chaudhary along with other administrative and police officials were also present at the spot. More than six policemen, including the officer incharge of Harla police Station, Santosh Kumar, have suffered injuries in the stone-pelting. About a dozen of protestors also suffered injuries. Video:
It is mentioned that the work of doubling the railway line between Tupkadih to Talgadiya is going on for the last three years. 95 percent work has also been completed. On September 24 last year, district administration jointly with railway demolished 16 houses and cleared the way for the railway line. Since then the people of the village were continuously protesting at the spot. Whenever the railway personnel reached to remove debris for work, the villagers opposed it.
Today was the 172-day of dharna staged continuously by affected families. The police team reached the spot and removed them clearing the way for the expansion of the railway line. Sub-divisional officer (SDO), Chas, Dilip Singh Shekhawat said “we initially applied light force to remove the protestors, but later situation has normalised and the railway line doubling work has been started”.
The administration was under pressure for a long time to complete the railway project. Even after several rounds of talks, the protestors were adamant and not leaving the place. A villager of Dhangadi, Riyajuddin Ansari said “in the morning our eyes opened with the sound of bulldozers and found the police personnel in large numbers entered the village. They took the entire village under control and then removed the tent which was a temporary shelter for the displaced families whose houses were demolished earlier “.
Ansari said “Policemen also beaten the villagers and fired tear gas and rubber bullets. Many of us are injured. We were not against development, and are demanding that affected families should be rehabilitated, but the administration does not pay heed to our demand and treated us inhumanly”.
This land was acquired for Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL). However, BSL had transferred 31 acres of land to the Railways for the doubling of the railway line, but the Railways were finding it difficult to vacate the land.
The Expansion of Railway line is of industrial importance. It is a major route for the transportation of raw materials. Bokaro Steel Plant’s capacity is to double in eight years. Besides, Vedanta ESL Steel Limited, Parbatpur Coal Block, Sindri Fertilizer Factory, Dalmia Bharat Cement Plant, and Logistics Park at Chas more or less depend on this railway line.
