A local court granted bail to 14 villagers who were arrested after the incident of arson in Malpuri Khurd located JK lakshmi Cement plant on the intervening night of April 3 and 4 last.
The court granted bail to the villagers after observing the fact that witnesses whose statements were recorded in the case till date did not include the name of any farmers who were jailed. Besides, the FIR filed by the police also had the name of those who were lodged in jail. Notably, villagers were staging protest against the JK lakshmi Cement located at Malpuri Khurd of Ahiwara demanding employment in the cement plant.
Meanwhile, an incident of arson occurred in the plant in which machines and equipment worth crores were damaged. On the complaint of the management regarding involvement of nearby villagers in the arson case, the police, taking speedy action, had arrested 14 villagers and lodged them in jail. The villagers included Balram Gaekwad, Homlal Thakur, Dilip Sahu, Ramadhar Sahu,Vikram Markandey, Suresh Banjare, Mansing Banjare, Naresh Banjare, Rajkumar, Jitendra, Khileshwar Sahu,Tejram Gaekwad and Tejram Sahu of Malpuri Khurd village.
Though the police had arrested them on April 5 itself, but failed to produce any substantial/ effective evidence against them in court even after their three and half months jail.