Villagers Clash with Police Over ‘Encroachment’ Demolition in Jharkhand’s Palamu; Several Injured

Palamu (IANS): A clash over the construction of National Highway-39 left several local residents and two police officers injured on Thursday morning in the Chiyanki area of Jharkhand’s Palamu district.

The violence erupted near the forest department check-post under the jurisdiction of the Sadar police station. Conflict flared when a National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) team arrived with bulldozers to demolish alleged encroachments for the highway project.

Local landowners vehemently opposed the demolition, demanding full financial compensation before the administration touched their houses. The heated argument quickly escalated into a violent confrontation.

Stone-Pelting Triggers Police Baton-Charge

Eyewitnesses reported that anger boiled over as villagers began pelting the administrative team and security forces with stones. In response, the police launched a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd and regain control of the site.

The clash injured multiple people on both sides. Jharkhand Armed Police (JAP) Constable Rajmohan Singh sustained a severe head injury, while Assistant Woman Constable Priya Kumari suffered leg injuries. Several injured villagers also required imedical attention. Authorities rushed all victims to the Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) for treatment.

Administration Deploys Heavy Force Amid Restrictions

To prevent disruption to the highway work, the local administration had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Defying these legal restrictions, a massive crowd gathered at the site to block the administrative team.

Following the outbreak of violence, the district administration rushed reinforcements to the area. Senior officials—including Sadar Sub-Divisional Officer Sanjay Pandey, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Rajesh Yadav, and Sadar police station in-charge Afzal Ansari—are currently camping at the site to monitor the situation.

While the riot temporarily paralyzed traffic on the highway, security forces have since cleared the road. Officials confirm that they have launched an investigation into the violence and that the area remains tense but under control.