Paradip, Dec 6 (PTI) Residents of a village in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district have erected bamboo barricades to stop the entry of police, spearheading the opposition to a proposed Jindal Steel Works project like they did during the Posco movement.
Tensions flared after the arrest of Jindal Pratirodha Sangram Samiti leader Debendra Swain, with villagers alleging that police were filing fake cases against the protesters with the help of those supporting the project.
A case was lodged on Saturday after Prabhat Rout, a resident of Govindpur village who supports the project, alleged that his house was bombed the previous night, an official said on Monday.
Superintendent of Police Akhilesvar Singh said Dhinkia villagers had attacked police and vandalised a van following Swain’s arrest, adding that all the suspects would be arrested.
Eleven security personnel and several villagers were injured, police said.
Dhinkia locals have closed three entrances to the village with bamboo in bid to stop the police from entering, in an action reminiscent of the anti-Posco movement.
“We will not leave our motherland and allow the Jindal project. We will give our lives rather,” one of the villagers said.
The JSW has proposed a 12-million-tonne-per-annum (MTPA) facility, 900 MW power plant and a captive port in 3,000 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs 50,000 crore.
The POSCO site near the port town of Paradip was chosen by the administration for setting up of the JSW project as the South Korean steel company had withdrawn its plan to set up a mega steel project.
The JSW had earlier held tripartite meetings this month at the district level, and Gadakujang, Nuagaon and Dhinkia gram panchayats. PTI CORR HMB RG RG
