Bodies of anti-POSCO activists who died in blast recovered

Paradip: A day after three anti-Posco activists were killed while allegedly making bombs, tension gripped the proposed plant site in Jagtsinghpur district on Sunday as police recovered the bodies and materials used for making the explosives. Three persons were killed and another was critically injured in the blast when members of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) were making crude bombs, Jagatsinghpur SP Satyabrata Bhoi said today after reaching the spot.

"Police have recovered the materials used for making crude bombs from the site," Bhoi said, adding that the three bodies were sent for postmortem. The injured was rushed to SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack in critical condition, police said.

The bombs were intended to be used against the police and supporters of the proposed mega steel plant, Bhoi said. However, Nachia Mandal of Gobindpur, who was injured in the blast, claimed that unidentified persons hurled two bombs at him and others when they were standing near a pond at Patana village.

While police claimed it had gathered evidence showing the explosion took place during bomb making, PPSS alleged that some miscreants hurled bombs on its activists. PPSS president Abhay Sahu claimed that some miscreants had hurled bombs targeting him.

"They hurled bomb targeting the house where I stay at Patana village," Sahu claimed. However, police rejected the PPSS claim and said that the accident took place while they were making bombs.

"The PPSS leader is desperately trying to divert public attention from their anti-social activities which have been exposed following the blast," the SP said. "In fact, bombs were being manufactured in the backyard of the house where Sahu used to stay," said a police official.

Meanwhile, the district administration of Jagatsinghpur deployed 12 platoons (360 personnel) of armed force at Posco's proposed plant site villages. "I ensure that peace will soon return to the area," said Jagatsinghpur district collector SK Mallick. As the police staged a march at the tension hit areas, the anti-project activities assembled at Mangala Chhak and held a meeting alleging bomb attack on them.