Gorakhpur farmers protest forced land acquisition

Gorakhpur, May 10 : Police faced a tough time in Gorakhpur on Friday as they tried to disperse a crowd of angry farmers protesting against paltry compensation provided to them by the district development authority for their lands.

The forceful acquisition of the farmers' lands by the Gorakhpur Development Authority (GDA) and inadequate compensation received thereof provoked the farmers to protest.

Police had to baton charged the mob to restore order.

"These people blocked the road and they were alleging that the GDA had paid them less compensation for their lands. We tried to sort out the matter but they continued to block the road causing a lot of trouble to the passerbys. Then we had to forcefully disperse them," said Brijesh Kumar Mishra, a police official.

In place of the actual cost of 100,000 rupees, the farmers said they were only paid a measly 3,800 rupees by the GDA.

"We will continue to fight the injustice done to us till we get proper compensation for our lands," said Diwakar Singh.

According to the farmers, the GDA plans to sell the land acquired from them to prospective buyers for residential and commercial purposes.

ANI