11 die in mob violence at Orissa steel hub

In the worst incident of industrial violence in Orissa, at least 11 persons, including two policemen, were killed when tribals clashed with the police at Kalinga Nagar in Jajpur district of Orissa, where a number of steel plants are slated to come up.

Tension spilt over when 1,000 armed tribals gathered at the plant site of Tata Steel in the Kalinga Nagar Steel Complex, opposing construction by the company.

Though the company has built a boundary wall around its allotted 2,000 acres, ground leveling was to start today. The tribals are seeking more compensation for the land bought from them.

Apprehending trouble, the police had been deployed in the complex. The tribals pelted stones, shot arrows and lobbed grenades at the police picket, injuring a number of them.

The police resorted to lathi charges, burst tear gas shells and finally opened fire in which nine tribals were killed, while the mob hacked to death two policemen. An unspecified number of people were injured in the clash.

The mob dispersed following the firing but later in the day blocked the expressway connecting Daitary to Paradeep. Police reinforcements have been rushed to the area and curfew has been declared.

The organised attack and use of grenades by the tribals hint at the involvement of Naxalites. Though land had been acquired for the Kalinga Nagar Steel Complex in 1992 and all the oustees had been paid compensation, they continued to cultivate the land till recently when the state government allotted plots to various steel companies that have made a beeline to Orissa.

At least half a dozen steel plants, including that of Tata Steel, are proposed to be set up in the Kalinga Nagar Steel Complex.

However, the original occupants of the land, who were paid for their land in the early 1990s, stepped up their demand for compensation at current rates.

There was also an attack on the police and executives of Maharashtra Seamless a couple of months ago during the company's ground-breaking ceremony at its plot inside the complex.

On today's incident, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, "The government is watching the situation carefully". He announced compensation of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of those killed in the clash.