Maharashtra duo arrested for social media posts against refinery

NAVI MUMBAI: Protests against a proposed refinery in Ratnagiri intensified on Monday after police arrested two activists, Satyajit Chavan and Mangesh Chavan. The duo was picked up for social media posts urging residents in the district to join protests against the proposed Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPL) complex in Rajapur taluka. They were remanded to three days in magistrate custody by a local court on Sunday.
Earlier, Rajapur tehsildar Sheetal Jadhav had passed a prohibitory order effective April 22 to May 31 in a 1-km radius of Barsu and five adjoining villages to allow soil testing for the RRPL site. These restrictions on gatherings and movement under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code had raised concerns among locals.
Apart from the arrest of two activists, there were unconfirmed reports that several others were likely to be served notices and detained by police. This led to a day-long protest on Monday with around 250 women sitting out in the open near the project site in Barsu. One of them was rushed to a hospital following a case of sunstroke.
Rajapur SDO Vaishali Mane and tehsildar Sheetal Jadhav held a discussion with the protestors to persuade them to call off their agitation. But the talks proved unsuccessful.
To add to the tension, a police team despatched to Barsu met with an accident. At least 17 personnel were injured when their vehicle overturned near Kasheli village in Rajapur on Monday. They were reported to be out of danger.
Around 1,800 police personnel, comprising 2 additional superintendents of police, 5 deputy superintendents, 23 police inspectors, 97 assistant and sub-inspectors, 300 state reserve personnel and 4 platoons of riot control police were deployed in the villages of Barsu, Panhle, Dhopeshwar, Goval, Varchiwadi Goval and Khalchiwadi Goval due to the protests.
Drilling activities for soil testing are to start in these villages. A local said, "People are protesting because around 20 acres of our land will be acquired for the refinery project."
A Ratnagiri police spokesperson said, "The police personnel were called back from the villages on Monday evening. One cop injured in the accident has been discharged while 16 are still in hospital."