Bhubaneswar/Rayagada: More than 100 people, including 58 police men, were injured Tuesday after violent clashes broke out between tribals and security forces protesting a road project linked to the Sijimali bauxite mine allotted to Vedanta in Rayagada district, officials said.
According to officials, the local tribals strongly opposed the road construction at Shagabari village under Kashipur block of the district. The protesters allegedly hurled stones and attacked police and officials of the district administration with swords, axes, and other sharp weapons in their bid to stop road construction, police said. “People from Sijimali village launched a fierce attack on policemen who had gone to the village to execute non-bailable warrants pending against lawbreakers. Locals stiffl y resisted and attacked the cops.
As a result, as many as 58 policemen were injured, with six of them critically injured. The seriously injured policemen have been rushed to a hospital in Visakhapatnam, said Rayagada SP Swathi S Kumar. “Locals launched an attack without any provocation.
In self-defence, police were forced to use force to restore order. It has resulted in some local people getting injured,” she said. On the other hand, the Odisha unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPM)] rubbished the police version saying that police crackdown was unprovoked and barbaric on peace-loving tribal settlers of the area. “Armed police forces cordoned off the village during wee hours today and unleashed a reign of terror by launching a midnight operation,” alleged Suresh Chandra Panigrahi, Secretary, CPM, Odisha State Committee. Power supply was snapped ahead of the operation that included the use of tear gas, breaking into houses, and firing blank shots to intimidate residents, the Panigrahi said. Significantly, locals in Kashipur area have been opposed to Sijimali bauxite mine project ever since the state government allotted it to a private company. The administration was facilitating the company to construct a road to the Sijimali bauxite mine allotted to Vedanta. Rayagada Collector Kulkar ni Ashutosh C was on the spot and holding a discussion with the agitating tribals, an official said. The party further alleged that the district administration has imposed prohibitory orders under Sec tion 163 of the BNS, formerly Section 144, in Sunger Gram Panchayat of Kashipur block to facilitate road construction for the company.
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