The Trinamool Congress has spearheaded the campaign against the setting up of a car factory in the 1000-acre plot.

The trouble began around 11:30 am when about 150 people, representing the Trinamool-led Krishi Jami Raksha Committee, gathered at Khaserbheri Monsatala and started pulling down the factory wall with shovels and iron rods. The police resorted to lathicharge and used teargas shells to disperse the crowd.

A few people were injured during the clash.

The clash between the police and the locals continued for half-an-hour.

While some of the protestors were demanding jobs as assured by the state government, others were demanding the return of their land which was acquired by the state government for the Tata project.

Later in the day, supporters of Krishi Jami Raksha Committee blocked the National Highway 2 to protest against Kant’s visit.

According to Tata Motor’s spokesperson, Kant was on a “routine visit to see the progress of the plant and the vendors park.”

“He was joined by senior members of the project management team, officials from WBIDC, suppliers and project contractors during his visit to the plant,” the spokesperson said.

A top government official, who accompanied the Tata Motors team, meanwhile, said that the firm would be able to roll out the cars much ahead of the schedule “considering the pace with which the construction of the main car-assembling unit is going on.” “But it may not be possible for them to have all the ancilliary units in place when the car starts rolling out from the assembling unit,” the official said.