Police on Sunday fired rubber bullets after teargas and lathicharge failed to quell demonstrators who tried to uproot posts of the fenced off area of the Tatas' car project in Singur even as construction of the boundary wall continued.

Eight people, including Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samiti convenor Anuradha Talwar and Singur Krishi Jami Rakha Committee convenor Becharam Manna were arrested, Hoogly Police Superintendent Supratim Sarkar said.

The protestors also included members of main opposition Trinamool Congress and Left party SUCI who tried to uproot posts at Beraberi Purbopara, Khaserbheri and Bajemelia.

At Beraberi Purbopara and Khaserbheri, they were sucessful in uprooting 30 posts but failed at Bajemelia.

Earlier reports had said that the protestors had tried to set the posts on fire.

Sarkar said the trouble broke out around 11 am when the protestors armed with iron rods, bows and arrows threw bombs at the police, who tried to disperse them. Lathicharge, teargas shells and rubber bullets were used to control the mob.

A hut near the site caught fire, he said but denied the protestors' allegations that it was sparked by teargas shells.

The hut was set on fire by the agitators themselves, he contended.