Over 30 protesters booked for damaging property of ethanol factory, assaulting cops

Nirmal: Over 30 locals were booked for allegedly damaging property of an under-construction ethanol factory and attempting to murder policemen who were discharging duties and on other charges at the time of the protest staged at the site of the unit at Gundamapalli village in Dilawarpur mandal on Wednesday.

Nirmal Rural Inspector B Srinivas said that two cases were booked under Sections 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), 448 (house-trespass), 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 427 (Mischief causing damaging), 506 (criminal intimidation), 109 (abetment) and 148 (rioting) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Boddu Muthyam, Vinod, Rakesh, Shiva Ram, Jeevan, Sudhakar, Maicheal, Tharun Reddy, Challa Sai, Santosh and others from Dilawarpur and Gundampalli villages, based on complaint received from Sandeep and Uday, workers of the camp of the factory.

Similarly, a case was registered under Sections 448 (house-trespass), 506 (criminal intimidation), 435 (Mischief by fire or explosive substance), 109 of the IPC against the same accused persons following a complaint lodged by Chandrashekhar, another worker of the site. Police said that property worth Rs 1 crore was vandalised by protesters.

Meanwhile, based on a complaint received from Dilawarpur police station’s head constable Jeevan Rao and constable Shankar Rao, two case was booked against the participants under 307 (attempt to murder), 353 ( Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 442 (wrongful confinement), 427 Mischief causing damaging of the IPC.

The locals of both Gundamapalli and Dilawarpur mandal centres gathered at the site of the proposed ethanol manufacturer opposing the establishment of the unit. The protest turned violent when the protesters damaged the property of the factory including a car and under-construction structures. Police resorted to lathi-charging to bring the situation under control.