Several injured in clash over land acquisition

A group of people are protesting against the Eastern Coalfields Limited's (ECL) bid to acquire land for the expansion of its Lalmatiyabased Rajmahal Coal Project in Godda District. On Thursday, following a clash between local villagers and district administration officials, five security personnel were injured. The protesters, mostly comprising land losers of Taljhari Mouja under Boarijore Police Station in Godda District, turned violent, and security forces had to shoot several rounds of fire in the air and resort to lathicharge to disperse the errant mob. In the morning, thousands of villagers belonging to the tribal community including women and children who were armed with traditional weapons thronged to site to oppose ECL's move to engage excavators for demarcation of 125 acres in Taljhari Village. On Thursday, they succeeded in thwarting ECL's attempt to begin land demarcation work. The district administration had made elaborate arrangements for the job with senior administrative and police officials, including Godda Deputy Commissioner Zeshan Qumar and SP Nathu Ram Singh camping at the spot. The ECL management had sought administrative support for demarcating the land in Taljhari Mouja where a section of villagers were opposing, despite