Greater Noida, August 13
Six persons, including a cop, were killed and at least 60 were injured in clashes in Greater Noida between farmers, the police and the PAC cops for over two hours today. As many as 12 cops, including SSP R.K. Chaturvedi and police circle officer, Greater Noida, Kuldip Singh, were also injured in connection with demand for higher land compensation by the farmers.
As many as 12 vehicles, including tractors, police jeeps and two-wheelers, were torched by the aggressive farmers mainly from Ghori Vachhera village. The farmers were seen jumping over the barricades and racing to Greater Noida office complex, which was extensively damaged. They indulged in stone-pelting while the cops had to fire on the crowd. Some farmers had also fired back. IG Zone, Gyan Singh, however, confirmed only three deaths, including that of a cop.
According to Lalit Srivastava, chairman Greater Noida Development Authority, trouble started at 11 am when some 1,500 villagers stormed the offices of Greater Noida. They had come prepared with trucks laden of stones and bricks.
According to eyewitnesses, firing was exchanged at Greater Noida office, near Omaxe Connaught Place and a few other places between the police and the farmers.
In view of the notice sent by the farmers, the authorities had barricaded GNIDA office complex. When the cops tried to stop a tractor trolley, a farmer drove it over policemen killing one of them. This infuriated the police and the PAC, which resorted to firing to control the mob, the chairman said. “Farmers were using pressure tactics which cannot be accepted. The farmers have stopped our development works repeatedly. We are still open to talks and negotiations,” he said. The farmers on the other hand alleged that the police fired first and nobody had ever come forward for negotiations from the GNIDA.
Giving genesis of the problem, Srivastava said in April every year land compensation rates are revised on the basis of cost/inflation. Last year due to elections the revision of rates of land compensation was done in May. Against a previous rate of Rs 400, a revised rate of compensation of Rs 850 per sq m was approved. But soon there were demands for higher compensation.
