Jeypore: Tension ran high after police lathi-charged land oustees agitating for employment at Nalco’s aluminium refinery unit at Damanjodi in Koraput district on Saturday.
According to reports, the residents of 13 villages had given up their land for the Nalco plant on the condition that they will be given jobs at the unit.
But the Nalco authorities allegedly turned a deaf ear to the villagers’ repeated demands, forcing the latter to stage a dharna near the plant for the last four days after blocking the Nalco road at Aanlabadi.
On Saturday, district officials and senior police officers arrived at the dharna site and requested the villagers to withdraw their agitation. However, the villagers stuck to their demand and said if the company cannot employ them immediately, it has to return their land.
The incident suddenly turned violent when irate villagers pelted stones at the police, who retaliated likewise. As the situation went out of control, police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the villagers.
Following information, Koraput SP Varun Guntupalli, Sunabeda SDPO and Tehsildar and Koraput Sub-collector rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.
Apprehending law and order situation, the district administration enforced prohibitory order under Section 144 between Aanlabadi and Nalco mines with the deployment of 6 platoons of additional force.
Till reports last came in, police have arrested more than 54 villagers.
