Landfill protest turns violent in Ghaziabad

A protest against a local landfill site turned violent on Sunday afternoon in Meerpur Hindu village in Loni as farmers and police personnel engaged in a heated confrontation, leading to alleged stone pelting and police lathi-charge, injuring both farmers and cops. The unrest began when local residents reportedly broke open the main gates of the dumping ground to stage a sit-in.  The situation later escalated, resulting in alleged injuries to both police and farmers and a war of words on social media.

The protesters alleged that police launched a brutal lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. A farmer named Manoj Kumar claimed that approximately 50 to 60 protesters sustained injuries on their hands and heads.

Viral videos circulating on social media appear to show protesters displaying various injuries due to the alleged police action.  Loni Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Siddhartha Gautam categorically denied allegations of lathi-charge.

In a statement, the ACP said the police did not use force. “Protesters resorted to stone-pelting, which left two police officers injured. The injured officers were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment,” he said.

The police, however, did not show the pictures of the injured cops, nor disclosed their names.

ACP Gautam said the “law and order situation is currently under control.” Security remains heightened in the area to prevent further flare-ups.