40 detained over protest against ethanol plant in Hanumangarh

As the farmers continued their protest against the construction of an ethanol factory at Tibbi in Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district, the police booked over 100 persons in connection with the violence and detained 40 of them on Thursday (December 11, 2025). About 30 families living near the plant site left their homes out of fear.

A large number of protesters and policemen were injured on Wednesday when the agitation turned violent and the crowd clashed with the police after setting some vehicles on fire and ransacking the factory premises. Congress MLA from Sangaria, Abhimanyu Poonia, received a head injury during the lathicharge.

An 11-member delegation of farmers held talks with the district administration on Thursday, while demanding a halt to the factory’s construction, judicial inquiry into the violence and withdrawal of cases registered against the protesters. Hanumangarh Collector Khushaal Yadav said the charter of demands would be sent to the State government.

Tension simmered in the region with the farmers and local leaders of Opposition parties gathering at Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Tibbi. Karanpur MLA Rupinder Singh Kooner, Youth Congress district president Karan Saharan and two other Congress party workers were taken into custody at Binjbaila Mandi bus stand while they were on way to the meeting.

The farmers, who have been opposing the factory’s construction for more than a year, have charged that it would lead to air pollution and water toxicity in the region, rendering large tracts of agricultural land barren. All India Kisan Sabha leader Mangej Choudhary said this would create a livelihood crisis for the local farmers.

However, Dune Ethanol Private Limited, a Chandigarh-registered company which is setting up the 40 MW grain-based ethanol plant at a cost of ₹450 crore at Rathikhera village, has maintained that the project will support the Centre’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme.

Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena said in a statement that the land for the proposed factory was allotted during the previous Congress regime after a memorandum of understanding was signed for it. “The Congress MLAs are now storming the plant site along with the farmers. Though the farmers’ concerns may be valid, attacking the factory is not justified,” Mr. Meena said.

While the farmer groups have announced that they would not allow the factory to operate unless it receives environmental clearance and has the consent of local residents, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel termed the incident a “political ploy” sponsored by the Congress. Mr. Patel said a large number of people, who came from outside Rajasthan, had indulged in violence.

Veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the Bharatiya Janata Party government was suppressing the farmers’ movement by detaining the Congress leaders. “The BJP government’s arrogance is at its peak. Instead of listening to the farmers, the government is running dictatorship,” Mr. Gehlot said in a post on X.