At least one person was today killed and 20 others injured in a clash between the anti-Posco brigade and a private contractor over construction of a coastal road linking the proposed plant site at Dhinkia with Paradip town.
The District Collector, Mr N.C. Jena, confirmed the death.
The clash occurred after a private contractor yesterday began construction work on the 10-km coastal road from Mahal near IOCL refinery up to the proposed site with hi-tech machines and equipment, the sources said.
The Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) and local villagers had been opposing the coastal road project, the sources said.
Tension ran high this morning when alleged hired goons of the private contractor forcibly evicted PPSS activists who were on dharna at the road construction site.
Both groups used crude bombs and other lethal weapons in the clash, the sources said.
While 15 injured persons belong to PPSS, six were engaged by the contractor. The deceased, identified as Diya Swain (30), was engaged by the contractor, sources said.
The District Collector said the district administration of Jagatsinghpur had not been informed about the construction work and so no police was deployed at the site where the clash occurred.
Work on the controversial road began yesterday after 90 days in the face of resistance by the PPSS.