PARADIP: Irate villagers of Balitutha panchayat under Kujang block assaulted IOCL officials protesting land acquisition on Friday.
IOCL officials had come to the panchayat to demarcate land for the proposed Paradip-Hyderabad Product Pipeline (PHPL).
However, local farmers protested the move and attacked the officials besides vandalising their equipment. Sources said nearly 50 acre of land has been identified in Balitutha for the project.
Following the incident, IOCL’s in-charge officer Kisan Singh lodged an FIR with Kujang police basing on which three farmers were arrested. However, they were later released on PR bond, said Kujang IIC Dillip Sahoo.