AICC Odisha in-charge Dr A Chella Kumar accompanied by PCC fact-finding committee members including Narasingha Mishra, Chiranjib Biswal, Ganeswar Behera, Bapi Sarkhel, Jitu Mohapatra, Ansuman Mohanty, Avishek Mahananda, Rama Chandra Khuntia, Natabar Barik and Bipalab Choudhury visited trouble-torn Dhinkia village on Saturday for conducting a spot assessment of the police and civilian clash which occurred there on January 14.

The delegation was greeted by anti-JSW project residents of Dhinkia village. The delegation members took stock of the site where land acquisition is carried out and betel vines are demolished for the JSW integrated steel plant. They talked to the villagers and inquired about their problems with regard to the project.

The agitating villagers fumed against the Odisha Government alleging that police forces were used to acquire land and forcibly evict the villagers. They said that the police have unleashed a reign of terror and the barbaric attack on the villagers who were holding a peaceful agitation against the steel mill on January 14 was an indication of it.

“Due to the lathicharge, hundreds have been injured with many of them absconding from home and hiding themselves fearing police action. The police have also lodged false cases against the villagers, reopened cases against a few villagers who were active during the agitation against Posco. This should stop,” demanded the Congress team.

While addressing Dhinkia residents, Chella Kumar decried the Odisha Government’s action against the project opponents and assured them of support by the Congress in coming days