PADUBIDRI : Complaints are presently being heard that the police unnecessarily resorted to lathi charge in Padubidri town after enforcing Section 144 on Saturday without trying to go into the reasons that prompted people to observe a bundh in Muttandangadi area of Udyavar in protest against the group attack on a person opposing the fish processing unit operative at Pitrody in Udyavar.
There had been a strife between the fish processing unit operative at Pitrody since several years, and the locals who strongly opposed the unit letting its effluents into the river polluting its waters to a great extent. On Saturday matters turned worse, when a gang of five persons attacked Mohan Salian of Pitrody who is leading a group which is against the project, resulting in an altercation between the assailants and another group loyal to Salian.
No sooner word spread about the attack, agitated public blocked roads while the police wielded lathi at them and even barged into some houses in the locality making matters worse, say a few citizens of the area. There is also a feeling that it was absolutely wrong on the part of the cops to wield lathis at people who were protesting peacefully.
What do cops say ?
However, the police authorities have something different to say. This was what Kaup Circle Inspector Cheluvaraju had to say. There was a difference of opinion among locals on the letting of the waste water from the plant. Finally, as per a decision taken at the Udyavar panchayat and following the permission from the DC , a pipeline work had commenced to let the waste water into the sea. Still, Mohan Salian along with the legislator and others, had demanded that the pipeline works be stalled. Salian was then even threatened by a group of Malpe who were involved in the works.
However, Salian who wanted to end the matter amicably, invited the youth for talks in his house. Accordingly, talks were underway. However there arose rumours that the talks failed and the youth escaped after attacking Salian. When road blocks were created the police had to wield lathi to disperse the mob which even pelted stones at the police jeep. Cheluvaraju also said that the ban orders will be in force until Monday.
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