Police remove people from IISCO sites, 20 injured during lathicharge

Burnpur, June 17 (UNI) Police used batons and arrested about 150 people before dispersing hundreds of villagers, who prevented the workers involved in modernisation and extension of projects of state-owned Indian Iron and steel company (IISCO) at Purusotampur in Asansol sub-division today.

At least 20 protesters were injured when police used batons to disperse them from the site which they had been holding since May 28.

The local people were demanding adequate compensation for their lands taken by the government for the steel plant's expansion and modernisation programmes. They were also demanding jobs in it.

IISCO's new project had been stalled since May 27 after the local people prevented workers to take up jobs.

Assistant Superintendent of police (ASP), Asansol, Bastab Baidya said the expansion work at the IISCO started this afternoon when police cordoned off the site after dispersing the people.

UNI