Hyderabad, Dec 17 (IANS): Tension prevailed Saturday in a village in Andhra Pradesh's Prakasam district as the villagers, opposing a proposed iron ore mining project, disrupted a public hearing being conducted by the authorities.

Four protesters were injured, one of them critically, when police baton-charged the villagers of Marlapadu, who mobbed the district collector and other top officials while alleging that some people had been brought from outside for the public hearing.

Women protestors deflated tyres of 10 vehicles including the district collector's car and three police vehicles. The collector and other officials left the village without conducting the public hearing as tension mounted in the area.

Farmers in Marlapadu and surrounding villages were opposed to iron ore mining on the grounds that land acquisition for the project would affect their livelihood.

Trouble began Saturday morning when officials from the Andhra Pradesh Mining Development Corporation (APMDC) and other departments reached the village to conduct the public hearing.

The villagers caught hold of at least five people and alleged that the officials brought outsiders to prepare a favourable outcome for the project. Police intervened to rescue the people and whisked them away.

The angry villagers then staged a protest and entered into an argument with the officials. Holding placards, they demanded that the government scrap the project. They also alleged that the government colluded with mining mafia to acquire their agricultural lands.

The government has already granted mining lease on an area of 1,307 hectares to a joint venture between the APMDC and a private company, Gimpex Limited. The mining is to be taken up in the villages of Korejedu, Marlapadu, Yerajarla, Surveyreddypalem, Kanduluru and Yemarla.