Farmers agitating for more compensation for their land abducted a sub-inspector of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) in Greater Noida on Monday thinking that the contingent had been sent to take action against them. It resulted in a clash between the farmers and the police, in which three farmers were injured.
Noida district magistrate, Deepak Agarwal, told mediapersons that the clash with the PAC and the agitation of the farmers were not related.
He said that a PAC truck was on its way to Meerut after completing duty in connection with the visit of UP chief minister Mayawati on Sunday.
When the driver, who wanted to relieve himself, stopped the truck near the spot where the farmers were agitating they thought that the PAC had been sent to take action against them. They pounced on a sub-inspector, abducted him and snatched his light machine gun, said Mr Agarwal. When the police tried to rescue the S-I, the farmers clashed with them which led to firing from both the sides.
Three farmers, including a woman, were injured in the firing. The injured, identified as Ravinder, his wife Manviri, and Laveen, all residents of Bhatta Parsaul village, were rushed to Kailash Hospital.
Mr Agarwal said that an FIR was being lodged against the farmers who had kidnapped the PAC officer without provocation. He said that the demands of the farmers of compensation at par with that given for land acquired for the construction of Yamuna Expressway, was not justified.
However, farmers’ leader, Manvir Singh Teotia said that their demands were genuine.
He alleged that the state has acquired precious land at throw-away prices for private builders,. The agitators were angry that they were not allowed to meet Ms Mayawati when she visited Noida on Sunday.