One killed, 24 injured in agitation against land acquisition

Aurangabad (Bihar), Jan 15 (PTI) One person was killedand over 24 others were injured when farmers fought pitchedbattles with the police and torched the engine and some bogiesof a passenger train near Aurangabad railway station today toprotest acquisition of their land for a thermal power station.

Auranagabad Superintendent of Police Vivek Raj Singhsaid farmers protesting against the acquisition of 1700 acresof arable land by the state government for the 2000 mw powerproject by NTPC squatted on railway tracks near the station.

When the police arrived at the scene, the protestorsturned violent and a pitched battle between the two sideserupted, he said.

The mob set fire to the engine of empty Varanasi-Gomopassenger train when it arrived at the spot and then to somebogies prompting the police to first baton charge them andthen burst tear gas shells.

Failing to disperse mob, the police then used watercannons in which a person identified as Ramat Prajapati(55)was killed, he said.

The person, Singh said, hailed from Ankhora villageunder Nabinagar police station.

The injured included a policeman, he said adding oneperson was taken into custody for inciting violence anddamaging railway property.

The principal secretary in the energy department,Ravikant, when contacted, said the power plant was coming upon 2500 acres, at Nabinagar, about 25km from Aurangabad.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad condemend the police action anddespatched a fact-finding team of his party headed by theLeader of the Opposition Abdul Bari Siddiqui.