Jaipur: After violent clashes on Wednesday that damaged the boundary wall of an ethanol plant in Hanumangarh, the factory management filed a second FIR on Friday, naming around 400 people for their alleged role in the unrest, reports The Times of India.
Earlier, the Hanumangarh police had registered another FIR on Thursday against 107 people, including two elected representatives.
According to the latest complaint, protesters forced their way into the plant, damaged property inside and outside the premises, and set parts of the facility on fire. The FIR states that security staff were attacked, while workers and police personnel were chased using tractors. It also alleges that some individuals provoked the crowd, gunshots were heard during the chaos, and company employees were confined inside an office that was later set on fire. The protesters are also accused of throwing a gas cylinder into the blaze and fleeing with stolen items.
People familiar with the developments said district officials held talks with the agitators on Friday night and managed to reach some understanding. They added that mobile internet services, suspended for the past five days, could be restored by Sunday.
Police continue to stay on alert, especially as residents have announced a mahapanchayat on December 17, which is expected to draw farmer leaders from Haryana, Punjab, and western Uttar Pradesh.
Those aware of the situation also said construction work at the ethanol plant has been stopped for now, even as locals persist with their demand to shift the factory. Officials have told the protesters that the district administration does not have the power to take such a decision.
