JAGATSINGHPUR: As many as five persons, including two women and one child, were injured in a group clash between supporters and protestors of JSW in Dhinkia when a 5-member committee of Orissa High Court reached here on Saturday to take stock of situation on ground.
The committee, comprising counsels Prasanta Kumar Jena, Omkar Devdas and Sukanta Kumar Dalai along with additional government lawyers Debakanta Mohanty and J Katikia, was here to probe the alleged police atrocities on the villagers opposing land acquisition for the proposed steel plant by Jindal. Two separate petitions were filed in the HC after the lathi charge episode on January 14, seeking an independent and impartial probe into the matter.
On the day, villagers led by human rights activist Manas Kar took out a mass rally and reached Dhinkia to meet the team and air their grievances including alleged intimidation at the hands of the police and administration besides loss of livelihood. As per sources, all of a sudden JSW supporters attacked the villagers in the rally in a bid to thwart their attempts to meet the committee. “Our family members are being held by the police on false charges for over a month now. So we had come here to seek the intervention of the visiting team in the matter but were attacked instead,” said Dipti and Trupti Swain, Dhinkia villagers who were a part of the rally.
Informed, Abhaychandpur police led by Additional SP Nimain Sethy and Erasama tehsildar C Pragyananda Das rushed to the spot and restored peace. Later the anti-JSW villagers met the committee. “No case has been registered as we have not received any FIR so far,” said IIC Jibanananda Jena. While the panel reserved its comments on the issue as the matter is sub-judice, a detailed report on the same will be submitted to the Court, they said.