A tense situation unfolded in Punjab’s Sangrur district on Wednesday after a large police contingent reached Jahangir village near Dhuri and detained several people protesting against a private ethanol factory for the past two months.
The protesters alleged that police personnel pushed them and resorted to a lathi-charge during the operation. Among those detained was Simrat Kaur, wife of former Dhuri MLA Dalvir Singh Goldi.
The police, however, said they were acting in accordance with court orders to reopen a road blocked by the demonstrators.
Villagers have been holding a continuous sit-in, known as a pakka morcha, against the factory, alleging that its operations have adversely affected their health and quality of life.
According to the protesters, smoke from the facility and the foul smell emanating from waste generated during ethanol production using maize have made it difficult to live in the surrounding areas.
The villagers have also expressed concerns about potential groundwater contamination, claiming that the factory’s emissions and waste threaten the local environment.
They maintain that they were not informed when the facility was originally established that it would be used for ethanol production. This remains one of the key grievances fuelling the prolonged agitation.
The protest intensified over the past two weeks, with demonstrators blocking a road for approximately 15 days.
While talks between the protesters and the administration were ongoing, the company’s management also approached the court over the road blockade.
At around 2 pm on Tuesday, a large police contingent arrived at the protest site and began detaining people present there.
Lawyer Amandeep Singh Chahal, who was participating in the agitation, alleged that police personnel clashed with the demonstrators and used batons against them.
Several protesters were taken into custody during the operation, although the exact number of detainees and their current status were not immediately known.
The detention of Simrat Kaur, wife of former Dhuri MLA Dalvir Singh Goldi, drew further attention to the police operation. Restrictions on media access to the protest site also became a point of concern.
Police had set up barricades on a canal bridge near Jahangir village, preventing journalists and members of the public from reaching the protest location.
When asked why media personnel were being stopped, the Station House Officer (SHO) present at the spot did not respond, leaving the reasons for the restrictions unclear.
SPD Davinder Attri said the police had detained people who were creating disturbances at the site.
He added that the road, which had remained blocked for an extended period, had been reopened to traffic in compliance with court orders.
The police action has brought the dispute involving the villagers, the administration and the factory management into sharper focus.
While residents continue to seek solutions to their concerns about pollution and groundwater quality, the authorities have stressed the need to implement the court’s directions and restore traffic movement.
Further details are awaited regarding the number and status of those detained, the allegations of a lathi-charge and the reasons behind the restrictions on media access.
The administration’s response to the villagers’ environmental concerns is also expected to play a crucial role in resolving the ongoing standoff.
