Gangaghat (Unnao): Scores of farmers from Thutwan Kheda, Shankarpur Sarai, Kanhwapurwa and Murlipur villages villages had launched protests on Saturday and then again on Sunday, demanding higher compensation for land acquired for developing Trans-Ganga City Project — a residential-cum-industrial project by the UPSID.

DM Devendra Kumar Pandey claimed farmers have been adequately compensated. However, 30 per cent farmers claimed they have not yet received enhanced compensation.

A team of UPSIDC employees tried to begin work on the project on Saturday, but farmers turned violent. The farmers had pelted stones at JCB machines and targeted UPSIDC officials and policemen.

The arson continued on the second day on Sunday, when protesting farmers set ablaze a crusher plant and some plastic pipes in the open field near a power substation.

At 3am, the four villages suddenly came under siege. A huge team comprising 250 police and PAC personnel fanned out to the villages and stormed into houses.

“The raids started at around 3am and continued till dawn,” said Manoj, a local of Thutwan Kheda. “Loud cries of inmates followed by a hurl of abuses in neighbouring houses, were all we could hear,” he added.

“Around 20 to 25 policemen barged into our house. Then police brutality began. A policeman kicked me in the back multiple times enquiring about the whereabouts of young male members of the family. He hit me with a baton repeatedly till one of my hands became numb. After assaulting me and other family members, they smashed everything in my house. We were targeted because we demanded compensation. Is it a crime to demand compensation,” he asked, showing the injured, swollen fingers of his right hand.

A 65-year-old woman farmer, Maheshwari Yadav said: “They beat me up and ransacked household goods. Many among them hurled abuses and misbehaved with young female members of our house. Police thought we were hiding the male members of the family. After dawn, police left the village taking along with them nearly 13 villagers .” Several other homes have similar complaints. Additional superintendent of police, Unnao, Vinod Kumar Pandey, however, refuted the charges. “We did not launch raids. Those involved in creating trouble are aware that police would nab them and were making false allegations. Three persons have been arrested on Monday afternoon and a total of 38 persons named in two separate FIRs. Also, nearly 200 unidentified men have also been booked under relevant sections of IPC for causing trouble and police are in the process of zeroing in on them. Those who are not guilty, would not be unnecessarily harassed,” he said.

