Chhatrapur: Tension ran high after the body of a casual worker was found hanging in a room of the monazite plant of Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IREL) near here Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as P Ramesh (20) of Sanaryapalli village under this block in Ganjam district. His body was found hanging from an exhaust fan in a room inside the monazite plant. He was engaged in the plant on contractual basis by the primary fishermen’s society.
After reports surfaced, family members and residents of the panchayat barged into IRL premises and staged a demonstration. A minor scuffle ensued between the security personnel and irate residents as the latter entered the premises despite a prohibitory order in force.
Family members and locals alleged the plant authorities had deliberately hanged his body after he died of asphyxiation due to discharge of toxic gas from the monazite plant.
They demanded Rs 50 lakh compensation for the next of his kin and a Crime Branch probe into the incident. They also demanded that the CCTV footage be made public, video recording of the post-mortem and measures to stop discharge of toxic gas from the plant.
Ramesh’s father P Jengali submitted a memorandum to sub-collector Sudhakar Sabar addressed to the collector and SP in this regard.
The protesters refused to relent despite attempts by the police and plant officials to placate them.
They did not even allow Chamakhandi police to take the body for post-mortem or forensic squad to conduct a probe. Apprehending a law and order situation, three platoons of police were deployed on the spot.
Tension was palpable as all works in the plant remained completely paralysed all through the day.
The protesters relented after a tripartite meeting headed by the sub-collector and SDPO Patitapaban Choudhury agreed to order for a CB probe, service to the next of the kin of Ramesh, compensation as per norms and to make the CCTv footage of June 14 and 15 public.
Later in evening, the district administration disbursed Rs 10,000 from the Red Cross fund while IREL authorities gave away Rs 20,000 to the bereaved family. PNN
