It may be recalled here that locals who offered stiff resistance to the project were injured as police had resorted to lathi-charge the protesters.
Photo: SNS
A day after the violent clash was witnessed at the proposed big-ticket JSW Steel at Dhinkia village of Jagatsinghpur district, uneasy calm prevailed at the project site with the police heightening security with the deployment of a large contingent of armed policemen.
Meanwhile, the local police on Saturday have arrested at least six anti-plant protesters on the charge of launching an attack on policemen who were performing law and order duty at the site.
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In another development, anti-land displacement leaders from the State capital, who paid a visit to the project, were stopped entry by police forces. Tension continues to prevail in the area as protest against the plant simmers in the area.
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It may be recalled here that locals who offered stiff resistance to the project were injured as police had resorted to lathi-charge the protesters.
If the version of police is any indication, they acted in utmost restraint and were forced to baton wielding to disperse the protesters. Besides a dozen of protesters, seven policemen were injured as those opposing the plant had reportedly attacked the law-enforcing agencies.
The confrontation had arisen as the landowners who had accorded consent to betel vineyards’ demolition had opposed the move on part of the administration to take possession of the land.
It is pertinent to note here that JSW Utkal Steel Limited has proposed to set up a 13.2 mtpa (million tonnes per annum) capacity steel plant at Dhinkia in Jagatsinghpur district after South Korean steelmaker Posco backed out from setting up a big-ticket steel plant after almost a decade long people’s resistance.
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