Police firing has been reported against anti-land-acquisition protesters at Kanhar dam in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonebhadra district early morning on Ambedkar Jayanti.
“One tribal leader Akku kharwar from Sundari village have been hit by bullet in chest, Around 8 people have been grievously injured in the firing and lathi charge by the police,” said a statement by the All India Union of Forest Working People.
“The firing is being done by the Inspector of Amwar police station Duddhi Tehsil, Sonbhdara, UP,” the statement said.
According to the organization, the protestors were assembled to intensify the protest against the dam on Ambedkar jyanti and were carrying the photo of Baba Saheb Ambedkar to mark the day as “Save the Constitution Day”.
Most of the women protesters, especially those in the front, have bullet injuries, it said.
The National Green Tribunal had stayed construction at the dam site on Dec 24 for lack of a valid environment clearance. Petitioners in the case had argued that the previous clearance and forest clearance to the Kanhar dam project, first envisaged in 1976, were not valid after 38 years.
Despite the stay order, the Uttar Pradesh government went ahead with construction at the site. As a result, the tribunal has again sought a reply from the state and the central governments.