Mathura farmers clash with police over compensation

Tension prevailed in Mathura after the protest by local farmers demanding compensation package turned violent on Saturday afternoon. 

As the protesters pelted stones and torched several vehicles, the police used force, burst tear gas shells and fired rubber bullets to disperse the mob.

About two dozen persons, including farmers and policemen, were injured in the violence. They were admitted to the district hospital. Agra Zone IG Sunil Kumar Gupta also rushed to the spot and summoned force from the neighbouring districts to diffuse the tension and avert fresh clash. 

When reports last came in, a heavy police force was patrolling the area while senior officers, including District Magistrate Rajesh Kumar and SSP Manzil Saini, were holding talks with the farmers to convince them to call off their agitation. The officers were trying to assure the farmers that they would pass on their demand to the Government for necessary action. The situation was tense but under control at the time of filing this report.

According to reports, hundreds of farmers in Mathura were agitated over non-payment of compensation for their land inundated following construction of Gokul barrage. The villagers of Damodarpura had not celebrated Diwali this year in protest against the failure of the district administration to pay them compensation for their land submerged in water after construction of Gopal barrage, despite several assurances in the past. 

Due to the faulty design of the barrage, around 1,000 acres of land of over 1,500 farmers has been submerged in water, for the past two decades, a protester said. 

"We have made several representations, but except for false assurances we have got nothing," he said. Reports said that agitated over the Government's apathy to them, hundreds of farmers led by Bharatiya Janata Party activists blocked the Gokul-Mathura road near the barrage on Saturday morning. They were demanding release of compensation. 

The trouble started when additional district magistrate of Mathura, Dhiren Pratap, went to the spot to pacify the protesters. The protesters pushed Superintendent of Police (City) Manoj Sonkar during the talks, the ADM said, adding that the police then resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the mob. 

In the ensuing clash, at least five policemen were injured and they were hospitalised, Mathura SSP Manzil Saini said, adding that some protesters were also injured. 

According to sources, at least 13 farmers were injured and they were undergoing treatment at the district hospital.Reports confirmed that when the local police found it difficult to handle the situation, Agra zone IG Sunil Kumar Gupta also rushed to the spot and he later summoned more force to control the situation. The District Magistrate and district police chief of Mathura along with senior officers were camping at the spot and making efforts to settle the dispute.