Tension at Neelachal's Orissa plant

Tension prevailed on the campus of public sector Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL) under the Kalinga Nagar police station in Orissa's Jajpur district following an agitation by the displaced families in the NINL rehabilitation colony near Masakhia village inside the industrial complex.

About 200 people, including the displaced families and some local villagers, staged a protest in front of the main gate of the plant, demanding protection from attacks.

NINL sources said the agitators prevented anyone from entering the premises and demanded action against those had attacked them on Thursday night.

"They prevented our men, including daily-wage labourers, and material, from entering the campus. We could manage the first shift but production in the second shift was hampered," said DP Mishra, General Manager, personnel, NINL.

"Around 100 miscreants came to our colony and attacked us without provocation. Police did not even register an FIR," said Srikanta Mohanta, a leader of the agitators. Jajpur SP D S Kuttey said the situation was tense but under control.

"Two platoons of the police have been deployed at the plant," he said, adding the law would prevail in the attack case.