ETAH: A clash broke out between villagers and policemen at Awagarh police station here in which six villagers and five police personnel were injured.
The incident happened yesterday when villagers gheraoed a police team near Nagla Beejin village which was taking away a thief and threatened to punish the miscreant themselves as they accused the police of releasing several thieves previously.
On hearing the news of the scuffle, villagers of neighbouring villages reached Awagarh police station yesterday and gheraoed it.
Police personnel from other police stations also reached the Awagarh PS and the clash broke out between villagers and police.
SSP Ashok Tripathi said that police used rubber bullet and two villagers were injured. Police were inquiring the matter and action will be, he said.
Villagers from the neighbouring villages of Barayi Bathakar, Nagla Bale, Nagla Daroo, Bagla Bakshi reached Awagarh Police Station and alleged that police had not lodged any FIR despite thefts taking place.
ASP Visarjan Singh Yadav said that people should not take law in their hands and action will be taken after considering all the facts.
District president of Congress Chob Singh Dhangar claimed 43 incidents of theft had occurred but no action was taken by the police, which had caused resentment among the villagers.
The thefts were of pumpsets and other agricultural instruments from Barayi Kalyanpur, Bachhagar, Nagla Bakshi, Nagla Daroo, he said.