17 injured as villagers clash with police after the attack on pro-industry leader in Odisha

PARADIP:  Around 17 persons including 11 police personnel were injured during a scuffle late on Friday when the cops had gone to arrest Jindal Pratirodha Sangram Samiti (JPSS) leader Debendra Swain on charges of attacking a pro-industry leader. 

As per allegations of Prabhat Rout, the pro-industry leader in question, five bike-borne miscreants hurled bombs at his house in Govindpur and fled. Suspecting it to be the handiwork of JPSS which is opposed to industrialisation, local police rushed to the spot and tried to arrest Swain. 

When police tried to enter into Swain’s house, villagers tried to stop them, leading to a clash in which 11 police personnel including IIC of Abhayachandpur Pradyumna Behera were injured.

The villagers pelted stones besides ransacking two police vehicles. The police teams returned without any arrests following stiff resistance from villagers.

“Two cases have been registered, one on the basis of the complaint from Rout about hurling of bombs and another by IIC Behera regarding attack on police by villagers. The accused will be nabbed soon,” said SP Akhileshwar Singh, adding that Behera has been transferred following the incident. 

In protest, irate villagers on Saturday took out mass rallies and criticised police excesses in the form of registering false cases against Swain.

“Our leader was not involved in the bomb hurling incident at all. Our resistance was met with unnecessary lathi charge which injured six persons including five women,” said an activist. 

Braving rains under the impact of the storm, villagers carrying umbrellas rallied from Phulkhai temple to Dhinkia panchayat office on the day and vowed to intensify the stir if any effort is made to arrest Swain. 

Swain, on the other hand alleged, it is a nexus between the administration and JSW to foil the movement by slapping false cases on the anti-displacement activists.

“Last night’s incident was pre-planned. We have demanded a high-level enquiry into the matter. Our people will be deployed at three entry points into the village to restrict the police,” added Swain.