Hundreds of protesters, including women, blocked roads when government surveyors arrived in the village to conduct survey and demarcate land for IIT.
Residents of Melauli village in North Goa on Wednesday clashed with the police during protests against proposed IIT-Goa campus project. Villagers had set up a human chain at the entrance to the site about 50 kms from the state capital of Panaji, when police lobbed tear gas shells at the villagers.
Police also resorted to lathicharge to clear the way for government surveyors to demarcate the site. Retaliating against the lathicharge, the villagers pelted stones at the police, leading to injuries on both sides.
Hundreds of protesters, including women, blocked roads when government surveyors arrived in the village to conduct survey and demarcation of land handed over to IIT Goa for developing its campus.
More than 300 police personnel were rushed to the site to clear the roads to facilitate access to the government surveyors.
Villagers had been blocking the way since Tuesday, vowing not to allow the demarcation work to go ahead. On Tuesday, the police had backed off but on Wednesday they attempted to clear the blockade by force.
"The police tried to forcefully enter by stomping over the women who were lying down to block the path. They then began firing tear gas shells and a lathicharge before retreating," Shubham Shivolkar, a leader who was present at the site, said.
While no one was seriously injured, several villagers complained of having been struck by police lathis and tear gas shells.
Earlier in the day, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that while the government was open to discuss and address the villagers' concerns, the IIT-Goa campus will be built at the present site.
IIT was allotted to Goa by the Central government in 2014. Since then it has been functioning from a temporary campus at the Goa Engineering College in Farmagudi village in South Goa.
Two sites previously identified by the state government, in Canacona and Sanguem sub districts were also scrapped due to protests by local residents and Opposition.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Protests by tribals of Malauli village in Goa")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}