Workers protest at the Paradip oil refinery project site on Tuesday. Telegraph picture

Paradip, Nov. 26: Tension gripped the Paradip oil refinery today following the murder of a casual labourer. Workers went on strike and demonstrated after the incident.

The strike hit the construction work of the Rs 30,000-crore project. The protesting workers sought safety and security on duty.

“The situation became tense at the plant after the blood-smeared body of 26-year-old Bipin Parida was found on Trilochanpur road near the project site. Police managed to bring the situation under control,” said Jagatsinghpur superintendent of police Satyabrata Bhoi.

The body bore deep cut marks on throat and other parts. A sharp-edged weapon and the bicycle of the deceased were found on the spot.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the murder of Parida, who had got married about six months ago, was premeditated. Bhoi said the murder was executed in cold blood.

The principal grouse of the agitating workers was that both the company and the police had failed to create a safe working environment in the project area.

“Over 25,000 labourers are sweating it out for the project. But nobody is bothered about the life of these people. The road that connects the project with nearby villages has turned into a death trap. There are no streetlights and under the cover of darkness, law-breakers are on the prowl and the poor labourers have become their soft targets,” said working president of Purva Bharatiya Oil Refinery Shramik Sangatha, a trade union, Dilip Behera.

“We feel unsafe all the time. There are not enough police patrolling. The oil company is also insensitive to our plight,” Sananda Majhi, a migrant labourer, said.

General manager (human resources) of the Paradip oil refinery project W.R. Borbara said: “The murder took place outside the plant area and so, the question of the company paying any compensation does not arise.”