ROURKELA: Day after a man was shot dead at Baroboga in Sundargarh’s Darlipali, police on Friday arrested 12 people in connection with the incident.
As tension prevailed in the locality after the killing of 30-year-old Silu Neti, angry villagers of Baroboga on Friday afternoon torched the office of United Fly Ash Truck Owners’ Association (UFTOA) and a four-wheeler at Jadugar chowk of Darlipali.
The UFTOA members had reportedly clashed with their rival group of an NGO named Regional Initiative for Social Empowerment (RISE) at Barobaga on Thursday evening.
Sundargarh SDPO Nirmal Mohapatra said the UFTOA was involved in collection of Rs 200 from each truck engaged in disposal of fly ash from the Darlipali Super Thermal Power Project of NTPC on the plea of maintaining traffic by engaging private security guards and also sprinkling water on roads to contain dust pollution.
He said the UFTOA was enraged when members of RISE started collecting Rs 100 to Rs 150 from fly ash carrying trucks from Thursday. A group of about 20-25 persons owing allegiance to the UFTOA arrived at RISE office and a clash ensued. During the clash, UFTOA members opened fire, leading to the death of Neti, the SDPO added.
Sundargarh SP Amritpal Kaur said based on CCTV footage, the 12 accused were arrested and produced in court. Five police teams are raiding several locations in search of the remaining persons involved in the crime including the prime accused, she added.