The controversial under-construction bypass road in Islampur witnessed a clash between agitating farmers and the police after the former stopped the construction work at Sealtore village under the Islampur police station area in North Dinajpur district today.

Police allegedly had to resort to baton-charge to control the angry mob, allegedly hurting some farmers in the action. No major injuries were, however, reported.  Police have arrested five farmers for hindering government work. Chakulia Forward Bloc MLA, Ali Imran Ramaz, was held by police from the spot, while he was later released.

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The state government had acquired land from farmers for the construction of the 11-km bypass road from Eluabari to Oliganj along National Highwway- 31 in Islampur five years ago. The construction of the road, however, came to a halt after farmers demanded more compensation for their land. Finally on 1 August, 2017 chief minister Mamata Banerjee, in an administrative meeting at Sonapur in Chopra in North Dinajpur, directed officials of the district administration to immediately start the construction of the bypass road.

The construction resumed this month, it is learnt. “Construction of the bypass road in Islampur is illegal, as farmers did not receive the exact prices for their land. Administrative officials claimed that a fund of Rs 20 crore was spent to pay the farmers against their 170 acres of land, and as per it, they ought to receive Rs 11.76 lakh for one acre of land.

However, the government gave them a mere Rs 1-3 lakh for 1 acre of land,” Mr Ramaz said. “Where did rest of the funds go? It was definitely misused by the officials concerned. We demand the administration jail the officials involved and pay the right price to the farmers,” he added.

The MLA also slammed what he called the atrocities of the police and the administration and accused them of destroying potato and maize fields belonging to the farmers for the construction of the road. Bulldozers were used to destroy the crops, he claimed. “After demonstrations by the local women against the activities of the administration, police resorted to lathi-charge.

Five farmers were held and they arrested me on the spot. We will let the construction work start only when the government will provide the farmers their exact compensation for the land,” Mr Ramaz claimed. Following the baton-charge, Forward Bloc activists in Kolkata demonstrated against the “cruelty of the police” and the police had to finally release the MLA.

“Five persons were arrested from the spot today. We have started investigations,” SDPO Islampur, Kumar Bhushan Singh, said. “The police did not lathicharge the farmers. A group of political leaders today visited the place and tried to block government work. Police only forced them to leave the place,” said North Dinajpur DM Aiyesha Rani.