Tension in Angul town after violent clash

Angul Orissa, Apr 27 (UNI) Police opened fire and prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPc was clamped in this industrial town as an irate mob went on rampage ransacking shops and other establishments belonging to people of a particular village in retaliation of a violent incident in the morning.

Angul Superintendent of Police Sanjaya Singh said the police initially burst tear gas, resorted to lathicharge and later opened fire in the air to disperse the violent mob attacking shops in the town.

He said the violent attack was a sequel to an incident in the morning where the people from Raniguda attacked iron ore laden trucks belonging to Hemsharpada hamlets near the Angul station.

The villagers of Raniguda have been opposing the loading and unloading of the iron ore in the Angul station on the ground that it had caused lot of pollution in the area.

They had also drawn the attention of the district authority in this regard.

As the news of attack on the iron laden trucks spread, the angry villagers of Hemsgarpada armed with lethal weapons, congregated at the bus stand and started attacking shops belonging to the people from Raniguda. They also pelted stones.

The SP said no one has been arrested in connection with the violent clash.

Additional police forces had been deployed in the area and the prohibitory orders has been imposed in both the villages besides some areas in the troubled town to avoid any further untoward incident.

The District Collector and the Superintendent of Police were camping in the town to monitor the situation which was described as tense but under control.

UNI XC/DP TJP PA PM2006