Posco clash kills one, 59 arrested

BHUBANESHWAR: Paradip, the site of the proposed steel plant of South Korean giant Posco, continued to be tense for the second day on Sunday following the death of an anti-Posco agitator on Saturday.

As the news of Dula Mandal’s death spread, anti-Posco agitators began targeting pro-Posco ones, following which a massive police posse was deployed at the site 100 km from here.

Mandal, who was hurt in a clash between pro- and anti-Posco agitators on Friday, succumbed to his injuries early on Saturday at SCB Medical College, Cuttack.

The clash took place after plant supporters hurled a bomb on opposition members returning to the village after digging the mouth of the Jatadhari river where Posco is planning to set up its captive port.

The digging was necessary for smooth release of drain water from Nuagaon, Dhinkia and Gadakunjanga, convener of the Posco Pratirodha Sangram Samiti Abhay Sahu said.

Following the attack, anti-Posco agitators locked a group of plant supporters in a school building in Gobindpur village.  

Later, police arrested nearly 59 people involved in the
attack.
subhashish_m@yahoo.com