BHAWANIPATNA: Villagers of Thuamul Rampur block in Kalahandi district have decided to launch an agitation to protest the arrest of nine local youths who were apprehended for allegedly assaulting officials of Utkal Alumina on Saturday.
On Monday, residents of Suryagarh, Durmushi, Kanarpass and Kendumundi villages led by Gopinathpur sarpanch Dhansingh Majhi submitted a memorandum to Kalahandi collector Sachin Pawar in this connection.
The memorandum stated that the arrested youths were assaulted and falsely implicated. The villagers said they would launch protest on Tuesday against the arrests.
On the day, Lanjigarh MLA Paradip Kumar Disari also condemned the arrest and claimed that Utkal Alumina was using force and filing false cases to intimidate locals.
Sources said the nine youths had gone to Baphlimali hills to hold discussion with Utkal Alumina officials over bauxite ore mining. However, an argument broke out between them following which the youths were detained by Kashipur police. A case of trespassing, creating disturbance and assaulting company officials was registered against them.
They were later transferred to Thuamul Rampur police station in Kalahandi, produced in JMFC court and remanded in judicial custody. Following their arrest, the youths had claimed that they were assaulted by mining company’s security personnel before being handed over to the police.
Notably, residents of the four villages are at loggerheads with Utkal Alumina over bauxite ore mining in Kalahandi portion of Baphlimali. The affected villagers allege that the mining company is yet to rehabilitate them.
