In a dramatic midnight operation, police and officials from the Hansi administration clashed with residents of Chanot village in Haryana's Hisar district on Monday over the removal of an allegedly unauthorised water connection from the Bhakra pipeline. The confrontation led to the use of tear gas and a mild lathi charge, leaving at least one police officer injured.
Police Use Force to Remove Unauthorised T-Joint
According to officials, the trouble began two days earlier when Somesh Kumar, former president of the sarpanch association, arranged for a T-joint to be fitted in the Bhakra pipeline to supply water to the village. However, the Hansi administration declared the connection unauthorised and registered a criminal case against unknown persons.
On Monday midnight, Deputy Commissioner Rahul Narwal and Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar led a team with a JCB machine to the village to remove the T-joint. The move sparked immediate protests from villagers who had been sitting on a dharna (sit-in) demanding water from the pipeline.
Villagers Resist, Police Respond with Force
As the crowd of villagers grew, police fired tear gas shells and resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse the gathering. During the melee, ASI Pritam Singh, posted at Bass police station, sustained a head injury and was admitted to the Civil Hospital in Hansi. Additional police forces were called in to bring the situation under control.
Himanshu, a villager, alleged that some women were also injured during the police action. Despite the protests, the administrative team successfully uprooted the T-point and took it away.
Background of the Water Dispute
Residents of Chanot village began their protest on May 16, demanding water supply from the Bhakra pipeline, which was laid to fetch water for Hansi town. Somesh Kumar had claimed to be a representative of the state government and stated that he had obtained government approval for fitting the T-joint. However, Public Health Engineering Department XEN Sanjeev Tyagi maintained that the department had not granted any permission for the installation, calling it a 6-inch T-joint illegally installed in the government pipeline.
Ongoing Tensions
The incident highlights the acute water crisis in the region and the lengths to which villagers are willing to go to secure their water rights. The administration has registered a criminal case against unknown persons, and further investigations are underway. The removal of the T-joint has left the village without the desired water connection, and tensions remain high.
