As many as 22 members of Janhitavadi Yuwa Samiti and other organisations were detained for stopping the trucks of a private company which were carrying iron ore from the Surjagad hills near here in Eastern Maharashtra, police said today.
The workers were holding demonstrations near Gatta Check Post of Etapalli, a taluka town in the district, in protest against the transportation of iron ore yesterday.
They stopped three trucks as part of their agitation and did not allow them to go further. However, the police reached the spot and detained the demonstrators.
All of them were later released, said the police.
The issue of transporting iron ore from the Surjagad hills in Etapalli taluka has become quite hot now with several political parties and social outfits like Janhitavadi Yuwa Samiti taking strong objection to the mineral's ferrying.
A private company, which has been given a lease of iron ore, has started transporting the mineral from the hills for the last few days. The company has also started road construction work for this purpose.
Besides the Samiti, other organisation and parties agitating over the issue include Adivasi Vidyathi Sangha, Aheri Zilla Nirman Kriti Samiti and Congress.
They say iron ore should not be transported till the State Government takes steps to set up industries in Gadchiroli district.
