Tension gripped the Kalinganagar Industrial Complex yet again when activists, considered to be the supporters of the Visthapan Virodhi Jana Mancha (VVJM), the organization spearheading the movement against industrialization in the area, clashed with the workers of Tata Steel at Champakuila within the industrial complex.
The clash occurred this morning when 20-25 agitators in masks and armed with traditional weapons reached the company's site disrupting land levelling work being carried out by 30-odd workers.
Sources said, the agitators set ablaze four motorcycles besides setting afire a tipper engaged in land levelling work.
A lady who sustained serious injuries as a result of the clash has been admitted to the Jajpur hospital. The injured lady has been identified as Raimani Deoga (60), a resident of Tata transit colony. Besides, two others including a contractor and a tipper driver are stated to have been injured.
The agitators are stated to have fled even before the police forces reached the site.
“Police did not have to fire rubber bullets as the agitators had fled from the spot before the police forces reached there. Work on land levelling which was affected due to the attack of the protesters, started again after they fled from the spot. We are keeping a vigil on the site and six platoons of police forces have been deployed to avert any untoward situation”, said D S Kutte, the Jajpur superintendent of police.
However, VVJM has denied its involvement in the incident. “The VVJM activists will never protest by covering their faces with masks. They believe in open protest as they are fighting for their lives and livelihood”, said Rabindra Jarika, secretary, VVJM.
