Police, anti-Posco activists clash, 25 hurt

The clash between anti-Posco activists and police forces left about 25 persons including some women injured even as the Jagatsinghpur district administration late last night had announced temporary halt to the ongoing land acquisition drive.

Trouble erupted when women protesters tried to ransack and torch the police camp at Gobindpur prompting the police forces to swing into action and resort to lathi charge.

Hundreds of irate women under the banner of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) went in a rally from Dhinkia to Gobindpur and also staged demonstrations near the police camp at Mangala Chowk of Gobindpur village. They shouted slogans and demanded withdrawal of police forces from the area.

"Police gheraoed nearly 20 to 30 women activists during the demonstration and attacked them," said Tapoi Samal, an injured woman.

Superintendent of police Satyabrat Bhoi said, "The situation is under control and five platoons of police forces have been deployed at Gobindpur to avert any untoward incident."

"The administration has stopped the land acquisition process at Gobindpur on Thursday. So, there was no necessity to stage demonstration near the police camp. Protesters attempted to burn the police camp and police forces used mild lathi-charge to disperse them in which few protesters have been injured", said Jagatsinghpur collector Satya Mallick.

Police action has drawn flak from the protesters.

"Village women were demanding an end to forcible land acquisition and withdrawal of police forces at Mangala Chowk," said PPSS leader Abhaya Sahu.

It may be noted, PPSS had announced its plan to stage of 'bare bodied' protest by women and children at the project site demanding withdrawal of police force. It today threatened to continue the demonstration if the state government does not stop land acquisition process for the Posco project.

Apprehending the entry of police at Dhinkia, PPSS activists have sealed the roads leading to Dhinkia. Women activists are also patrolling at the entry gates round the clock.