Work at the proposed Posco steel project site in Orissa’s Jagatsinghpur district could not be taken up today due to protest by locals who chased the police leading to a brief scuffle between them.
Though opponents of Posco claimed that five women were injured, one of them seriously, at Mathasahi under Nuagaon panchayat after being beaten up by the police, the district administration dismissed the allegation.
“No police excess was committed as claimed by some people. Police were discussing with people when the villagers used vulgar language and chased them with batons and brooms,” the Additional District Magistrate, Sarojkanta Choudhury, said.
Inspector of Kujanga police station, Mr Gupteswar Bhoi, said, “Officials along with police force reached the forest area at Mathasahi for felling of trees. They tried to convince the people but the people resisted the police from proceeding.”
Police did not use force and no one was injured, Mr Bhoi said.
Mr Bhaskar Swain, leader of Bhitamati Surakshya Manch (BSM), however, alleged that the police thrashed the women who opposed felling of trees in the nearby forests.
Nuagaon, Gadakujanga and Dhinkia are three gram panchayats in Jagatsinghpur district which had been identified for Posco’s proposed mega steel plant.