Telangana: Protest against ethanol factory turns violent in Nirmal, RDO vehicle damaged

Angry villagers protesting against the proposal to set up an ethanol factory staged a protest on Nirmal-Bhainsa highway and attempted to set fire to the RDO's vehicle

Nirmal: A protest staged by villagers against establishment of an ethanol factory turned violent with some of them attempting to vandalize a vehicle of Nirmal Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) in Dilawarpur mandal centre on Tuesday.

The villagers, who began a sit-in on the Nirmal-Bhainsa national highway in the morning, continued their protest till evening by conducting various activities including cooking food and bonfires, affecting traffic. Upon learning about the protest, RDO Ratna Kalyani reached the spot and held consultations with the agitators, who insisted for intervention of the District Collector and reinstating of a teacher who was suspended for extending solidarity to their movement.

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Some angry protesters tried to stop the vehicle of the RDO when she wanted to leave the spot after the consultations were unsuccessful at 9.30 pm. Ratna Kalyani fainted when her blood pressure dropped. She was, however, immediately shifted on the vehicle of Superintendent of Police Dr Janaki Sharmila, who was monitoring security at the spot to a government hospital in Nirmal.

Meanwhile, unidentified persons damaged the vehicle of Ratna Kalyani. Some persons then set the vehicle on fire. Police managed to extinguish the fire soon.

Vehicular movement was restored on the national highway by 11 pm.