By IANS,
Jaipur : At least six policemen and officials of Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO) were injured when residents of a colony pelted stones at them during an anti-encroachment drive in Bikaner Monday, police said.
According to police, the incident took place at Khawaja Colony in Bikaner town, some 350 km from Jaipur.
“About 200 acres of land owned by RIICO was illegally encroached upon by a large number of people. Notices had been issued to the illegal occupants, but they were ignored,” a police officer told IANS.
He added that a police team led by senior RIICO and administration officials had gone to the area to raze down illegally-built houses using bulldozers.
As soon as the bulldozers razed down one of the houses, the residents gathered and started pelting stones.
“RIICO’s regional manager and at least five policemen were injured in the stone pelting. People also damaged government vehicles,” said the officer. The police resorted to baton-charging. However, the residents kept pelting stones.
The police team had to stop the anti-encroachment drive and back out.
“A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against hundreds of colony residents,” said the officer.