Jajpur: Police lodged five persons including three women in a jail late Tuesday night after their protest against illegal wagon drilling on Dankari hill here, according to a report.
The drilling carried out by the mine owners have claimed over 20 lives in last two years, protesters said.
It is also alleged that 15 more women, who staged a blockade on the National Highway near Chadheidhara outpost, were picked up by the police in the evening and tortured physically and mentally at Jenapur police station through the night. Police resorted to such brutalities at the behest of the local representative of a political party and leaseholders of the mines, locals alleged.
Explosion due to wagon drilling has reportedly caused severe ecological issues in Dankari village and its peripheries. More than 20 persons have died of diseases like kidney ailments, cancer and TB in last two years, a report said. Even as more than 15 villagers are still undergoing treatment with five of them battling for lives due to kidney failure, the administration is yet to take any initiative to curb the menace, it added.
The Orissa Human Right Commission (OHRC) had sought reports from secretaries of steel and mines, forest and environment, state pollution control board in December last year. Though, the secretaries were asked to file their replies within three weeks, it was not complied with thanks to pressure mounted by local politicos, it was alleged.
Later, locals filed public interest litigation in the High Court but it also failed to bring any significant relief. Left with no option, women outfits of Dankari and nearby areas hit the road to stop wagon drilling explosion, according to reports.
Angry protesters Monday torched a wagon drilling machine while it was being taken for operation. Police detained Ganeswar Behera of Dankari in this connection while protesting women Tuesday gheraoed Chadheidhara outpost over his detention.
It was alleged that police forcibly picked up the women and took them to Jenapur police station where they were allegedly tortured by the policemen. While cases were registered against three women and two men, others were released. The five were produced in Chandikhole court in the midnight and later lodged in district sub-jail, it was learnt. PNN