Jajpur, Nov 30 (Odisha.in) At least three labourers working for the TATA project in Kalinga nagar have been allegedly beaten up by people opposing the project, police said Friday.
The residents who belong to Belhuri village are considered as supporters of the Vistapan Virodhi Jan Manch (VVJM).
They allegedly beat up the labourers who were working for the Tata Steel’s proposed Rs 10 crore hospital project near transit rehabilitation colony at village Maniapatana in Kalinga Nager, the steel hub of India in Orissa’s Jajpur district on Wednesday afternoon.
VVJM is leading the tribals’ agitation against displacement due to industry in the area since January 2, 2006 after 14 tribal persons including three women and a 12-year-old boy were gunned down by the police while they opposed land acquisition for Tata’s proposed steel plant in Kalinga Nager.
Police sources said that a private agency was awarded the construction work of the proposed hospital by the Tata steel in the industrial area.
But the agency handed over the boundary wall construction work of the proposed hospital to the local Maniapatana people supposed to be the pro Tata people anticipating trouble by the activists of the Vistapan Virodhi Janmanch.
However, about twelve tribal people of Belhuri village armed with lethal weapons reached the construction site and attacked the labourers at work who refused to stop the construction work and leave the site. All the injured persons were rushed to Danagadi government hospital.
The Kalinga Nager police station inspector-in-charge, K.C.Mund confirmed the incident and attributed the incident as feud between two villagers.
“The tension erupted who would do the contract and get financial benefits out of the construction work as it is being sub leased. While the construction work is wholly dominated by the Maniapatana villagers, it is being objected by their counterpart Belhuri villagers,” said Mr. Mund
However, no FIR was registered to this regard even a day after the incident, he added. The incident, third of this kind this year has apparently added to the tension in the area.
Earlier the agitating tribals of the Janmanch had mercilessly beaten up five officials of Tata Steel on 16 January this year.
Six persons including driver of the vehicle in which the officials were traveling, sustained injuries in the incident while they were conducting contour survey in the controversial land without knowledge of the government.
It may be noted the agitating tribal women mercilessly beaten up nine labours, engaged by the Tata Steel that has been planning to set up a rehabilitation colony at Maniapatana village in the industrial complex area on April 26 this year.
The Janamanch president Chakradhar Haiburu said the opposition against the Tata Steel project would continue in Kalinga Nagar. The Government should prevent any construction activities of the proposed project till the crisis was fully resolved.
Odisha.in