Kinnaur, December 9
At least 25 police personnel and five tribal persons were injured in a clash between people and the police at Wangtoo in Kinnaur district this evening. It may be mentioned that the tribal people had been peacefully protesting against the coming up of 1000 MW Karcham-Wangtoo Hydro Electricity Power Project for the past many days.
However, the situation became violent when hundreds of tribal people tried to break prohibitory orders imposed by the District Administration under Section 144 of the Cr.P.C. These prohibitory orders were imposed to prevent the agitating tribal people from entering the construction site of this power project.
Mr Arvind Sharda, SP, told The Tribune when the police force tried to stop agitating people, a few of them climbed nearby hilltops and started throwing stones on the police as a result of which at least 25 police personnel were injured. Later, the police used water cannons, teargas and also resorted to firing in which at least five tribal persons were injured. One of them got a bullet injury on his arm, claimed Shyam Sunder Negi, president of the Karcham-Wangtoo Sangharsh Samiti. Situation was still tense and the tribal people had blocked the Hindustan-Tibet road near Wangtoo when the news report was last filed.
The police has registered a case against the tribal people for causing hurt to the police personnel and violating prohibitory orders. On the other hand when contacted Mr B.R. Verma, District Magistrate of Kinnaur who visited the spot along with the SP in the evening, claimed that the situation was under control at the moment.
