Ludhiana, Feb. 6 -- Tensions escalated on Thursday in some villages of Jagraon and Samrala as police tried to forcibly disperse protests over biogas plans, officials aware of the matter said. As the protesters, a lot of them women, refused to budge, the police detained several locals to break the agitation. Police said the detained leaders were later released.

They said the protests are being organised outside the biogas plant sites in Jagraon's Bhundari and Akhara villages, and Samrala's Mushqabad village, among others.

The police action, which started at 7 am and continued for at least four hours, came just ahead of the hearing in Punjab and Haryana high court of a case against the biogas plants.

As the police faced strong resentment...