People clashed with the police in A.R. Nagar area of Malappuram district on Friday as they gathered to oppose land acquisition for the widening of a national highway. Many, including children, were injured in the police action. The incident comes as a stir against land acquisition continues in Kannur district.
Tension increased as local residents stopped officials who arrived for the land survey.
As people hurled stones at the officials and police, the cops resorted to lathi charge, and also used teargas and grenades. There were allegations that police entered houses and beat up women and children. Many policemen also got injured in the melee.
The agitators also stopped traffic on the Thrissur-Kozhikode route.
After about an hour, the police evicted the protesters as well as glass pieces and stones from the road. After this, the survey process resumed at Thalappara area.
The clashes started when people led by the action council reached the spot to stop the survey. The land acquisition issue at A.R. Nagar involves an existing national highway that is abandoned and some new land being acquired for a 50-metre road.
The new alignment was fixed citing the loss of land to a temple and a mosque. But the local residents say that the new alignment would affect 32 houses, shops and small junctions.
They also allege that respective committees have agreed to set up the temple and mosque elsewhere, but the government is continuing with the survey due to vested interests.
Though the survey was stopped briefly over the protests, it has resumed in Tirurangadi taluk. On Thursday, the survey was conducted in villages of Tirurangadi, Vengara and A.R. Nagar from Karumbil to Kolappuram.