The Hindu : National : Anti-Posco activist dies in attack

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 22, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Anti-Posco activist dies in attack

Special Correspondent

BHUBANESWAR: A warlike situation prevailed on Saturday in Orissa’s Jagatsinghpur district, where Posco-India proposes to put up a steel plant, following the death of an anti-project activist earlier in the day.

Trouble began on Friday evening, when activists of the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti were attacked by villagers supporting the proposed mega project near Gobindpur.

Three people were injured when bombs were hurled at the activists. One of them, Dula Mandal (35), died in the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

After this incident, the anti-Posco activists gheraoed the attackers who had positioned themselves atop a school building. The gherao continued till Saturday evening.

The attackers, numbering 59, were released after top officials of the district administration held negotiations with the Sangram Samiti president Abhay Sahoo and his men.

Ex gratia announced

The administration announced that Rs. 50,000 would be paid to the family of the deceased activist, and the two injured would be given Rs. 10,000 each.

Meanwhile, the Posco Pratirodh Samanwaya Samiti, another organisation opposing the steel project, will hold a convention in Bhubaneswar on Sunday against the project. CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan were scheduled to address the meeting.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National