Four Posco officials released after 6-hour drama

Four company executives of Posco India, including three Korean nationals, who were detained by villagers of Dhinkia near Paradip since this morning, were released unharmed at 4.30 pm.

Posco proposed to set up a 12 million tonne (Rs 51,000 crore) steel plant in the area and Dhinkia is the nerve centre of anti-Posco agitation. At 10.30 am, four officials from Posco India "" K S Choi, senior general manager (construction), S H Nam, senior general manager, T J Ahn, general manager (all South Korean nationals) and Deepak Ojha, assistant manager, "" were inspecting the probable route of electrical tower to be constructed in the area between the proposed refinery of Indian Oil (IOCL) and Posco India project site.

When the executives were near the sand hill area near IOCL refinery, about 40-50 armed villagers forcibly took them to their village and detained them in the Phulakhai temple for almost 6 hours. After discussion with the local police, the officials were released unharmed.

''The hostages were released after the police gave us written assurance that the Posco executives will not enter the project site in future,'' said Abhay Sahu, president, Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti.

Posco condemned the incident and said, "We are deeply concerned about the safety and security of our officials. This sort of activity will demotivate the investors and have adverse impact on foreign investments," a company spokesman said.