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15 injured in clash between pro- and anti-activists of POSCO

BHUBANESWAR: At least 15 persons were injured when villagers opposing mega steel plant proposed by South Korean steel major POSCO allegedly came under attack from supporters of project under Kujanga police station of Jagatsinghpur district on Monday.

According to Kujanga Police Station, three persons were admitted to government health centre at Kujanga.

However, Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), which is spearheading movement against the project, disputed the figure.

“About 20 villagers were mercilessly attacked by steel project supporters in the wee hours of Monday morning. Seven villagers were rushed to local hospital while one villager, who was critically injured, was shifted to SCB Medical College Hospital at Cuttack,” PPSS spokesperson Prasant Paikray said over phone.

He said attack took place at Gobindpur village between 3 am and 4 am on Monday. Some persons, who were voluntarily residing in transit colony, facilitated by POSCO attacked villagers manning check gates with bombs and sharp weapons, Mr. Paikray alleged.

The PPSS leader charged that police had tactic backing to supporters of project who had perpetrated the heinous crime.

“A 60-year-old woman was not even spared. Villagers opposing the project, who were not prepared for the attack could not run away from the place,” he said.

Mr. Paikray said later in the day villagers of Dhinkia, Gadakujanga and Gobindpur seized about 100 bombs and a stock of liquor bottles from the house of a supporter of the project.

Meanwhile, tension is prevailing in the coastal villages of Jagatsinghpur where South Korean steel behemoth POSCO has been opposed for more than four years to acquire land for its 12 million tonne per annum capacity steel mill.

PPSS leaders alleged that anti-social elements backed by money and muscle power of company and government were again out to do bloodshed in order to suppress the movement against the project.

Soon after the attack police teams had increased patrolling in the periphery of Dhinkia, Gobindpur, Gadakujanga villages to prevent further violence.

It is to be noted that police had not been able to enter these villages as residents were strongly opposing interference of administration in their matter.

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