The protesters alleged the tanker was carrying pollutants discharged by the ethanol plant, and was dumping the waste in their area and polluting it

A protest by villagers against an ethanol company turned violent in Narayanpet district of Telangana on Sunday, leaving two police personnel injured and a police vehicle was allegedly set on fire by the protesters.

The incident happened in Chittanoor village in Marikal mandal of the district after several villagers gathered there a day after stopping a tanker and holding a dharna on the road.

The protesters alleged the tanker was carrying pollutants discharged by the ethanol plant, which is located near their village, and was dumping the waste in their area and polluting it.

The district authorities had assured the villagers that a team of officials would look into the matter and take up verification.

Revenue and police officials were negotiating with the representatives of the protesters. However, some among them started pelting stones on the officials, a senior police official told the media.

Mild tension prevailed in the area even as the protesters allegedly set on fire a police vehicle and damaged another one, prompting the police to resort to lathi-charges to disperse the protesting villagers.

The villagers of Chittanoor, who have been holding protests for the past few months against the ethanol factory, are accusing the company for dumping pollutants in their area and polluting it. They had earlier opposed the construction of the plant.

(PTI)