A woman resists a policeman from demolishing her betel vineyard in the Posco project site on Saturday. Telegraph picture

Paradip, June 29: At least 15 persons, including three policemen, were injured today in clash between police and protesters near the Posco steel plant project, over land acquisition.

The exercise took an ugly turn when unwilling land owners resisted to prevent the officials from demolishing their betel vineyards. Following which the protesters attacked the policemen.

In retaliation, the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob.

The atmosphere got surcharged when local residents opposed to the pulling down of betel vines against their consent.

“We have taken into custody one Kalpataru Mantri on charge of instigating the local residents to attack the policemen. After three cops were injured in the attack, the police were forced to wield baton to disperse the mob,” said Jagatsinghpur SP Satyabrata Bhoi.

“The police acted with utmost restraint while discharging its law and order maintenance duty,” he said.

“The police have beaten our women and children,” said Sisir Kumar Moahapatra, general secretary of the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti.

No force was used on the anti-Posco activists. The cops just chased away the assembly of villagers, said an official.

“Today’s incident has belied the oft-repeated police claim that the land acquisition and project work are being done without force,” said Samiti spokesman Prasant Paikray.

The land acquisition process continued today on a war-footing with demolition of record number of betel vineyards. “Around 39 betel vineyards were pulled down with consensus of vineyard owners. Very few land owners had expressed their unwillingness to give away their land. The vineyard owners would be paid compensation in a day or two,” said Jagatsinghpur collector Satya Kumar Mallick.