Jharkhand News : A public hearing organised for a private coal mining project at a local football ground in Barkagaon turned violent on Tuesday after clashes broke out between two groups of villagers, triggering chaos and forcing disruption of the proceedings.
The hearing was being conducted by the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board when a group opposing the project allegedly attacked another group supporting it. Eyewitnesses said the situation escalated rapidly, with panic spreading across the venue.
According to accounts from those present, a large number of attackers arrived at the venue on tractors, armed with traditional and sharp weapons such as spears, arrows and sickles. Many had their faces covered with masks, mufflers and helmets. They allegedly stormed the pandal and launched a premeditated assault on landowners and villagers attending the hearing.
Women were also reportedly attacked during the violence, leading to scenes of distress and chaos at the site. The apparent objective of the attackers was to disrupt the statutory public hearing process, witnesses said.
The violence resulted in extensive damage to property at the venue. Hundreds of chairs were broken, and arrangements made for the hearing were vandalised, causing losses estimated to run into several lakhs of rupees.
Reacting to the incident, Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi condemned the violence in a post on social media platform X and questioned the state government over the prevailing law and order situation. He alleged that such incidents reflected a serious breakdown in governance.
Former local MLA Amba Prasad also reached the spot and held discussions with villagers following the incident.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on arrests or the future course of action regarding the disrupted public hearing.
