"The situation is under control in the towns of Gharsana, Raola and Anoopgarh where curfew was clamped Friday," a senior police official told IANS.

He said the army had been put on alert and if need be it would be called to assist the district administration to maintain law and order.

This is the second time a curfew has been imposed in Sriganganagar district, which borders Pakistan.

On Oct 27, the district administration clamped curfew on the three towns after police opened fire on farmers, killing four people.

Since Aug 31, the farmers have been holding demonstrations in different parts of the district demanding more water for irrigation.

Since Nov 27 the farmers have been holding "mahapadav" (siege) of the sub-divisional magistrate's (SDM) office in Gharsana and Anoopgarh towns, demanding that the state government enter into a written agreement with them over the distribution of irrigation water.

The Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangharsh Samiti (KMVSS) is seeking a written agreement from the Bharatiya Janata Party government to provide 58 percent of extra water for irrigation besides the reserved quota of 5.23 cusecs per 1,000 hectares in the Indira Gandhi canal project's first phase from the Harike, Pong and Bhakhra dams.

On Friday, over 30 people, including former legislator Sohan Naik and many police officials, were injured when farmers clashed with the police at Anoopgarh and Gharsana.

Over 400 of the thousands of protesting farmers were taken into custody at both places. A majority of them were sent to jails in Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu and Bikaner districts, police said.

The trouble in Anoopgarh started when farmers holding the siege started to stone the police. In Gharsana the problem started after the farmers holding 'mahapadav' tried to force their way into the SDM'S office.

When violence continued, the authorities imposed curfew.

--Indo-Asian News Service