Paradip, June 14: Three criminals, allegedly given shelter by anti-Posco activists at Dhinkia village, today opened fire and injured one villager.

Some villagers had taken exception to the presence of the three outsiders at the village, leading to a brawl. The criminals escaped after firing a few shots at the protesting villagers that left Kalindi Swain, a villager, was injured.

“The incident is in no way connected with the anti-Posco movement,” police said.

However, the villagers of the project area are largely out of bound for the police and civil administration officials. In the process, some of the project villages had become the haven for hooligans, a villager said. A villager had allegedly given shelter to the goons, who were allegedly involved in a loot case, at Dhinkia. The villager also allegedly owes allegiance to the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti.

A section of villagers, who were supporters of the pro-Posco United Action Committee, have registered protest against “criminal-friendly attitude” of somesamiti members.

“We have received conclusive evidence that these criminals were involved in Monday’s cash loot incident on the Indian Oil premises. There was an incident at Dhinkia, but we are yet to receive any written complaint,” said Abhayachandrapur police station inspector Gupteswar Bhoi.

“As we do not visit these villages, there is every possibility of goons taking shelter at Dhinkia. It has turned into a safe hideout for the law-breakers,” Bhoi said.

On the other hand, samiti secretary Sishir Kumar Mahapatra said: “If any villager is found patronising criminals, he would be ostracised from the community as such acts bring disrepute to the entire area.”