Farmers living near Nal Sarovar had planned to take out their rally till Gandhinagar to protest scarcity of irrigation water. At least seven policemen, including District Superintended of Police R V Asari, were today injured in stone pelting when cops tried to stop a farmers’ rally near Sanand town in Gujarat. Police resorted to lathicharge and lobbying of tear gas shells after senior police officials of the district were injured in stone pelting. According to Asari, who received injury on his head, some agitating farmers hurled stones on the policemen deployed on Sanand-Nal Sarovar road, from where, farmers living near Nal Sarovar had planned to take out their rally till Gandhinagar to protest scarcity of irrigation water. “To raise the issue of water supply, farmers living in villages near Nal Sarovar had announced to take a rally till Gandhinagar today, for which, police had already denied them permission. When the rally reached near Sanand, we tried to convince some of their leaders not to go ahead,” said Asari. “When our talks were on with leaders, some persons in the rally started throwing stones on policemen, injuring at least 7 personnel, including me. We then resorted to mild lathicharge and fired some tear gas shells to control the situation. There are no reports of civilian injury yet,” said the SP, who remained stationed at the spot after getting first aid. He claimed that unidentified persons in the rally resorted to violence after their leaders agreed to stop the rally at Sanand after being convinced by police. “The rally consisted around 3,000 persons. We have detained around 15 persons involved in the violence. A formal FIR will be lodged in this regard at Sanand GIDC police station. The situation is totally under control,” added Asari. SP Rajendra V Asari was injured in stone pelting At least seven policemen, including District Superintended of Police R V Asari, were today injured in stone pelting when cops tried to stop a farmers’ rally near Sanand town in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, opposition Congress and Patel quota stir leader Hardik Patel criticised the police action to use force against farmers.
