Protesting against the crackdown, the farmers set fire to a police van and vandalised the power plant office on Wednesday.

PATNA, Jan 11: The Bihar police entered the houses of the farmers protesting against low compensation for their land being acquired for a power plant in Buxar district, on Tuesday night, and thrashed them.

Following the midnight crackdown by police, the angry farmers on Wednesday set a police van on fire. Four policemen were injured and they opened fire in the air to drive away the mobs.

The farmers also raided the SJVN Thermal Power Plant with sticks and stones and torched several vehicles outside the plant office.

The farmers' agitation has been going on for the last two months over the takeover of their land by the State-run power company in the Chausa, 140 km from Patna.

They alleged that they were being paid at rates prevailing 12 years ago.

The protests had begun recently when more land was being forcibly acquired now at old rates.