Kalinga Nagar tribals clash with police

Local tribal residents clashed with the police today at Kalinga Nagar industrial complex in Orissa's Jajpur district. The security forces used tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the mob as the villagers pelted them with stones early this morning, the police said.

A large number of tribal villagers, belonging to Visthapan Virodhi Jan Manch (VVJM) which is spearheading anti-industrialisation there, opposed the police action in their village to nab two persons accused in a murder case.  Though the police were keeping a distance from villages in Kalinga Nagar since 13 tribesmen were killed in police firing in January 2006, it decided to nab the criminals taking shelter in tribal villages.

"Baligotha village was raided to arrest Amar Singh Banara and Thuram Purti, two main accused in the Sridhar Sai murder case," said Kalinga Nagar police station inspector-in-charge KC Mund.

VVJM leader Rabindra Jarika refuted police plea and claimed that none of the members of their organisation was involved in the murder.  Mund said the police was forced to raid the village as the accused had been taking shelter there for a long time.

Sridhar Sai, a known pro-project activist was allegedly killed by activists of VVJM on September 11, the police said.