Tension prevailed near the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd office in Shantinagar on Saturday when two protesters, who were alternative sites for the acquire land for the Metro Rail project, tried to immolate themselves on Saturday.
Over 40 people from the Basaveshwaranagar slum off Magadi Road gathered in front of the BMRCL office demanding a rehabilitation package for losing their land for the underground Metro tunnel project, connecting the City Central Railway Station with Magadi Road.
Ramesh and Shivu, who represent the Human Rights and Corruption Eradication Union, doused themselves in kerosene and threatened to set themselves on fire. They were taken into preventive custody and shifted to Wilson Garden police station.
They said that though most of the residents were given alternative plots at Srigandhadakavalu in Kottigepalya in 2010, the families of Sarasamma, Sundar Raj and Vijayalakshmi were deprived of the package.
The protesters said that they were upset because BMRCL Managing Director N. Sivasailam did not hear their grievances, and tried to immolate themselves.
A resident of the area, M. Manjunath, said that nearly 70 families were affected because of the land acquisition for Namma Metro project. All of them, except the families of Sarasamma and Sundar Raj, were rehabilitated at the Srigandhadakavalu rehabilitation centre. The two families were promised a package, but nothing was done.
Angry with the decision, the slum-dwellers gathered near the BMRCL office on Saturday, demanding an answer from BMRCL managing director N. Sivasailam, who refused to hear their pleas. The protesters had arrived at the BMRCL office with utensils, kerosene stoves and clothes, and said they would not budge until they were given justice.