Dibrugarh, March 12: Around 12 persons, including five policemen, were injured during a nightlong clash between villagers opposing a seismic survey and workers of the Hyderabad-based company, M/s Alfa Geo Company Ltd, and policemen at Makum killa in Tinsukia district last night.

The company has temporarily suspended operations in the area and the 200 officials and workers of the camp have been lodged at a safe location in Margherita town.

The workers were conducting seismic survey-related activities in Margherita under a sub-contract from the Hindustan Oil Exploration Company Ltd, which has the official license to conduct the survey.

Margherita sub-divisional officer (civil) Partha Pratim Mazumdar, whose official vehicle was attacked by the villagers, said though the agitated villagers attacked the officials and policemen, minimum force was used to disperse them.

The injured constables are Ashok Chettry, Satyajit Bora, Mohan Shah, Amit Dey and Robin Chetia. The first three are PSOs of Margherita sub-divisional police officer Raj Mohan Roy while the other two are from the Margherita police station. The injured policemen were administered first aid at the Margherita civil hospital, along with the others injured in the clashes.

The doctors said their condition was stable.

“Since 4pm last afternoon, there was some tension in the area, which later escalated into a clash. We had to move our camp from the area, which is around 5km from Margherita town,” Mazumdar said.

Sources said two youths in an inebriated condition, “forcefully” entered the camp around 4pm and started beating up the workers without any provocation.

The matter was “sorted out” at the camp itself and the incident was not reported to the police or civil administration.

However, around 8.30pm, more youths on motorbikes arrived and there was a fight between both the sides, after which the administration and police were called in.

Mazumdar then arrived at the site with magistrate Partha Pratim Boiragi and a 14-member police team.

The SDO said some people attacked his vehicle with stones when the team was around 500 metres away from the camp.

“Around 200 people from the village, armed with bamboo sticks, then came to attack the company camp. We attempted to pacify them by engaging them in talks for around two-and-a-half hours, but it did not help and the villagers broke three of our temporary barricades. They also started pelting stones and damaged three of the company’s vehicles and set a tent of the camp on fire. As the policemen were injured, we had to chase away the villagers,” he said.

The officer-in-charge of Margherita police station, Abdul Hannan, said the company had filed an FIR and a case had been registered.

“We have rounded up some persons and investigations are on. The situation in the area is tense but fully under control,” Hannan said.

Additional forces were also brought in from Digboi. Tinsukia additional superintendent of police (headquarters) Mukul Saikia is camping in Margherita to monitor the situation.

A general manager of the company has also rushed to Margherita and discussions are on with the administration.