The protest by the tribals against the proposed Nuclear Plant at Choti Sarawan in Banswara, turned violent when they began stone pelting at the police personnel, injuring a Jawan of the Quick Response Team, a police officer familiar with the matter said.

One of the officers said that the incident took place on Friday, 2 August when the officials of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited visited the Choti Sarawan area, wherein about 3000 tribals reside, to evict the  people. After the tribals refused to vacate the land, the officials called the police for help. Upon receiving the information, police personnel from Banswara, Dungarpur and Pratapgarh were deployed at the scene.

After the protesters resorted to stone pelting, the police also resorted to lathi charge to disburse the protesters, an officer said. Deputy SP Suryaveer Singh said: “Few people have been detained by us and we are still on the scene and the efforts to control the situation is still going on”.

According to officials familiar with the matter, the Nuclear Power Plant is scheduled to be inaugurated in August 2024, but the locals, who are residing on the land, have staged a protest. During the protest, police constable Kalpesh Garasia was injured.

Besides, the tribal women, who had blocked the National Highway 927 (Banswara -Dungarpur ) as a mark of protest, also pelted stones at the police personnel, when the police tried to remove them from the road. Following this, the police detained Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) leader Hemant Rana.

The residents of Choti Sarawan area had demanded cancellation of the set up of Nuclear Plant during a public meeting held at Maangarh Dham on July 18.

The government officials, meanwhile, claim that a compensation of around ₹415 Cr was given to the villagers of six villages including Sajvaniya, Rail, Khadiya Dev and Kaatumbi before moving them from the land against 553 hectare land that has been taken for the power plant.

According to officials, a new colony having 128 houses has been developed for the villagers at Hariyapara area located near Choti Saravan.

Mahi-Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant Project (MBRAPP) will produce 2800 MW power and falls under the category of 'Nuclear Power Project and Processing of Nuclear Fuel.'