Hanumangarh, Rajasthan: A protest by farmers against a proposed ethanol plant in Chak 5 RK village of Hanumangarh’s Tibbi region turned violent on Tuesday. Internet services have been suspended within a 15-kilometre radius, including Rathikheda village. Additional personnel from the RAC and Quick Response Teams have been deployed from Bikaner and Sri Ganganagar as tension escalated, turning the entire area into a police zone, reported Amar Ujala.
According to the news report, villagers and farmers allege that the plant will increase pollution, contaminate groundwater, and pose serious health risks. Citing these concerns, farmers have been staging a continuous protest. Farmers claim the plant’s wastewater will severely damage soil and groundwater, destroying thousands of acres of farmland. They also fear an increase in respiratory illnesses due to air pollution.
Early on Tuesday, police detained farmer leader Mahanga Singh and more than a dozen protesters. The detentions sparked anger, prompting a large number of villagers to gather on the roads. Farmers held marches in Chak 5 RK and nearby areas, further worsening the situation.
As per the media report, to control the unrest, authorities set up barricades on routes leading into the area to prevent people from neighbouring villages from joining the protest. Heavy police deployment was placed around the Tibbi SDM office and nearby locations. The shutdown of internet services was also aimed at reducing tension. While unrest continued through the evening, no major incident was reported.
By evening, the Tibbi SDM and police officials held discussions with farmer representatives. Farmers reiterated their main demands: immediate release of all detained protesters and a complete halt to the ethanol plant’s construction. It was agreed that a meeting with the district collector would take place on Wednesday to discuss these demands. Farmer leaders said the protest would continue until their concerns were fully addressed.
