Tension gripped Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district after a massive farmers’ protest against a proposed ethanol factory spiralled into violence on Wednesday. At least ten vehicles, including a JCB machine, were set ablaze as hundreds of farmers marching in Tibbi town confronted police personnel deployed with barricades. The unrest left multiple people injured, including Congress MLA Abhimanyu Poonia, and led to the detention of seven protestors.
The agitation stems from long-standing opposition to the establishment of the ethanol plant at Rathi Kheda village in the Tibbi area. Local farmers and villagers have been protesting for almost 15 months, fearing that the factory will damage the region’s environment, degrade fertile land, and jeopardise agricultural livelihoods. Although the earlier protest was cleared by the administration, anger had been simmering. That anger erupted on Wednesday when a mahapanchayat called by farmer groups turned violent.
Farmers from Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana reached Tibbi in large numbers, backed by several organisations, including the Congress, CPM, CITU and multiple farmer unions. Speakers at the ‘Mahapanchayat’ said the factory would cause pollution, contaminate water sources and render agricultural land barren. “If the factory comes up here, our future generations will suffer,” leaders asserted, demanding immediate relocation of the project. Shops in Tibbi and nearby markets remained shut as traders voluntarily supported the call.
According to police, once the gathering moved towards the factory site, instead of the designated ‘Mahapanchayat’ ground, protestors allegedly broke boundary walls and set fire to vehicles including the government vehicles. In response, police resorted to mild lathi-charge to disperse the mob and restore order. Superintendent of Police Harishankar Yadav said the situation was “under control” and confirmed that five policemen had been injured. “Seven people have been detained. Others involved in arson and vandalism are being identified. No one will be allowed to take the law into their hands,” he said.
The protest turned violent and several vehicles, including JCB were set on fire in Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh.
District Collector Khushal Yadav defended the project, stressing that it had been approved only after fulfilling all legal and environmental norms. He said the ethanol plant’s MoU was signed in 2022, followed by comprehensive inspections in 2023 before official clearance. “The aim of the project is to bring development and prosperity to the region. All required certificates were obtained. A workshop was even held to explain benefits and address concerns, but the farmers rejected it,” the Collector noted. He condemned the vandalism, asserting that concerns must be resolved “on the table, not through violence”.
A clash between agitating protestors and police erupted and several people from both sides sustained injuries.
Farmer groups, however, maintain that the administration’s actions provoked resentment and vowed to intensify their agitation until the project is cancelled.
– Ends
with inputs from Gulam Nabi
Published By:
Zafar Zaidi
Published On:
Dec 11, 2025
