Keonjhar, July 7: The demand to shift a bridge over Kusei river at Belahalli village in Anandapur sub-division led to a clash on National Highway-215 leaving more than 24 people, including 10 policemen, injured.
The proposed bridge is being build as part of the expansion plan of the highway that connects Panikoili in Jajpur to Rajamunda in Sundargarh district.
After several rounds of discussions failed between the villagers and the district administration on Monday, the protesters blocked traffic on the highway near Belabahali this morning.
However, trouble erupted when cops tried to disperse them. As the angry villagers resisted and pelted stones, a clash ensued. To rein in the mob, the police lobbed tear gas shells and resorted to lathicharge. Nearly 100 protesters were also taken into custody.
The clash left 12 villagers and an equal number of policemen, including the Anandapur block development officer, injured.
All the injured were rushed to the sub-divisional hospital at Anandapur. Nine of them were shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack when their conditions deteriorated.
Irate agitators also torched a camp of a construction company engaged in the expansion work of the highway.
The superintendent of police, Keonjhar, visited the spot and deployed 15 platoons of policemen
"Fifteen platoons have been deployed at the spot and the situation is under control. Nearly 100 protestors have been taken into custody," said Diptiranjan Ray, the additional superintendent of police of Keonjhar.
"We have been demanding that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) construct the new one on the existing old bridge or somewhere near it. But they deliberately want to construct the bridge at a new location. It would affect our lives," said an agitator.
"The NHAI authorities are of the opinion that the location suggested by the villagers for the proposed bridge is not suitable for alignment and engineering point of view," said additional district magistrate Sangram Keshari Swain.
Swain said the administration would take a concrete decision after holding another discussion with the agitating villagers.
