The villagers accused the local police of patronising a sand contractor and former village pradhan Naseeb, who had allegedly extorted illegal tax from sand workers. The policemen were let off late on Saturday night when senior officers assured the villagers that a case of extortion will be registered against Naseeb.

On Friday night, Naseeb and his associates had allegedly beaten up Shiv Bihari, Punni Lal and six others of Padua village for opposing the tax. The police, reportedly under pressure from a Bahujan Samaj Party leader, had lodged an FIR against eight workers.

When a police team went to Padua to arrest the workers on Saturday, the villagers clashed with them. Rakesh, a physically-handicapped youth, Ganga, a Dalit and one Shyamlal, suffered serious injuries. Reinforcements, including the Provincial Armed Constabulary, had to be called in to control the situation.

Superintendent of Police (Trans-Yamuna) V K Mishra said: “The police went to arrest the villagers named in an FIR. But they were attacked.”