Two persons sustained bullet injuries when police opened fire to quell protest against Kudagi thermal power plant, about 40 km from Bijapur, on Saturday.
Protesters from Muttagi, Masuti, Telgi and nearby villages had assembled in large numbers at the project site demanding the National Thermal Power Corporation to halt the work on 2000 MW plant.
The protesters resorted to stone pelting when the police tried to disperse them, and set afire half a dozen vehicles. The fire also gutted some shops and sheds, a senior police official said, adding that five persons were injured in the violence.
Three rounds were fired after lathicharge to disperse the crowd which gheraoed Kudagi Thermal Power project office, Additional Superintendent of Police B Y Bellubbi said.
Two persons, identified as Sadashiv Ganachari of Masuti and Chandappa Sidi of Muttagi sustained bullet injuries in the police action.
Both were rushed to the district hospital and later shifted to the KLE Hospital in Belgaum. A few police personnel were also injured in the violence.
The protests against the project have gained momentum for the past three months while the work on thermal plant began three years ago.
Farmers allege that jobs had not been given to the local people who have lost their lands for the project coming up on 3,000 acres. They are also against diverting water from Almatti reservoir for the plant.
Additional forces were rushed to the spot and the situation was now stated to be under control. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been clamped in the three-kilometre radius of the project site till July 6.
