Singrauli: The situation in Amiliya Valley under Badhaura police station in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh, remained tense after a road accident involving a coal truck led to unrest. Two bike riders lost their lives after being hit by a truck belonging to Mahan Energy Company on Friday.
Following the incident, local residents became angry and set five buses and three dumpers on fire. The buses were carrying employees of the company. The mob also assaulted some employees and police officers who arrived to control the situation. Several policemen, including the station in-charge, were injured.
Security stepped up
To prevent further violence, about 200 police personnel from Singrauli, Sidhi, Rewa, and Satna districts were deployed to the area. Police also ordered shopkeepers to shut down their shops on Saturday morning as a precautionary measure.
Efforts are underway to remove the burnt vehicles, and the police have started identifying those involved in the unrest.
Villagers expressed their frustration with Mahan Energy Company, which is operated by the Essar Group under the Adani Group. They alleged that the company’s coal vehicles have caused over 50 deaths in the area so far. Local residents have also been in conflict with the company over employment opportunities.
Residents were further angered when police reportedly sent the bodies of the accident victims for post-mortem without informing their families. Following this, villagers began a protest at Gada Khand crossing and Amiliya Valley, blocking the roads.
What police said
The police faced difficulty controlling the uncontrollable crowd, and some officers were chased away by the protesters. Senior police officers from across the district were deployed to the spot to calm the situation.
DIG and in-charge IG Saket Pandey confirmed that two people died in the incident and described the situation as tense, with a large crowd gathered. He said that the SP had been sent to the site to oversee the situation and restore order.
