Tension in Posco area, local Congress leader held

Police were keeping vigil at localities in Posco's proposed plant site near here following the arrests of a local Congress leader and a supporter of the anti-project group.

Jayant Biswal was held on the basis of an FIR filed by the contractor, police said adding that Biswal was among the four against whom a complaint had been lodged in connection with the killing of a man on the half-built coastal road linking Paradip and Posco's proposed plant site area.

Besides Biswal, former CPI MLA Narayan Reddy, Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) Secretary Sisir Mohapatra and PPSS' women wing chief Manorama Khatua were named in the two FIRs.

While one FIR had been lodged by Judhistir Swain, the brother of deceased D Swain, another FIR had been filed by Bapi Sarkel, the contractor who engaged workers in road construction work.

The police also recorded another FIR by one Mounabati Das, a resident of Gobbindpur and an activist of the PPSS. Das had named Bapi Sarkel, Babuli Ray, Papu Mohanty, Sashank Acharya alias Theku and Raka.

Reddy, who was leading the PPSS after arrest of its President Abhay Sahu on November 25, alleged that musclemen hired by the contractor threatened people opposing the project.

With tension mounting in the area, police today deployed about 300 personnel at different places of the proposed plant site area.

Protesting yesterday's violence, six non-BJD parties today held a meeting at 'Patana Haat'. The parties involved in the protest meeting included Congress, CPI, and CPI(M).

While anti-Posco brigade under the banner of PPSS had been staging agitation protesting yesterday's violence, local people blocked NH-5 (A) and Cuttack-Paradip Road halting communication to the port town.

Local people are demanding adequate ex-gratia to the family of Swain who was killed in yesterday's violence.