Rajasthan officials attacked over proposed dumping yard

A land demarcation dispute in Rajasthan turned violent as villagers attacked police and municipality officials assigned to prepare land for a new dumping yard, resulting in injuries and property damage.

Police and municipality teams came under attack in a village in Rajasthan's Banswara district on Tuesday after locals allegedly pelted stones at them when they arrived to demarcate land allotted for a dumping yard, officials said.

Four police personnel and four municipality staff were injured in the alleged violence, they added.

The incident, which took place in Hindolia Charan village, was allegedly triggered when the administration team arrived to demarcate a land parcel for a dumping yard in the area.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rakesh Nyol said the team, comprising revenue officials, police and municipal staff, came under attack soon after reaching the site.

"We had gone for land measurement when villagers started pelting stones," he said.

Officials said around 200-250 villagers from nearby areas opposed the proposed dumping yard and allegedly began pelting stones from nearby hills, giving the team little time to react.

Government vehicles of the SDM and the tehsildar were damaged in the incident, with window panes shattered. The injured include an assistant sub-inspector, a sub-inspector, two other police personnel and four municipal workers, officials said.

According to officials, about two acres of land had been allotted to the municipality for the dumping yard, and the team had gone for demarcation.

Police have registered a case on the basis of a report filed by the municipal authorities and launched a search to identify and arrest those involved in obstruction of government work and stone pelting.

Heavy police deployment has been made in the area and the situation is currently under control, officials added.