Police personnel in Talcher. Telegraph picture

Angul, Dec. 1: Prohibitory orders were clamped in Talcher town and some neighbouring collieries as situation continued to be tense following Friday’s violence and subsequent arrest of local MLA Braja Kishore Pradhan.

Besides, coal mining and despatch in Talcher coalfields continued to be hit for the fourth day. The contractual workers, who are engaged in the coalmines, refused to join their duties, protesting against the arrest and retrenchment of their fellow workers.

“Today, only two mines — Lingaraj and Kaniha — were working out of eight mines here. The Bhubaneswari mine, which was operating yesterday, remained closed today due to want of police protection. There was no coal despatch to any other power station other than the NTPC power plant in Kaniha,” said a colliery general manager.

The 3,000MW NTPC power plant at Kaniha, however, got some supply from Lingaraj and Kaniha coalmines. “We have still not been able to restore power generation in three 500MW units due to short supply caused by the strike. The generation has come down to 1,100MW from normal 3,000MW affecting power supply to some key states, including Odisha,” said NTPC executive director V.B. Fednavis.

Pradhan, who was put behind bars last night following rejection of his bail, has launched a hunger strike in jail, protesting against alleged police highhandedness and his “illegal” arrest.

Pradhan said it was wrong on part of the police to arrest him when he was raising the issue of poor workers.

Jailer of the Talcher jail Saroj Mahapatra said: “The MLA has been without food ever since he was lodged in jail last night. This morning, he did not take anything. I have reported this matter to all concerned.”

Angul collector Ranjit Mahanty said a team had been constituted along with a doctor to keep watch on Pradhan’s health.

The district authorities have clamped prohibitory order under Section 144 of CrPC in Talcher town and some of the colliery areas from this morning till the dawn of December 3.

The police forced shopkeepers to close down their units and chased away people, who had gathered at the market, this morning.

“I had come for shopping at Sharma Chhak. When the shop owner was about to deliver the goods, the police came threatening him to close the shop. All, who gathered there, were asked to go back. We could not know that whether it was prohibitory order under Section 144 of CrPC or a curfew,” said a local requesting anonymity.

The incident evoked political reactions with state Congress chief saying that the MLA had taken up the cause of common people.

Even senior BJD leader and health minister Damodar Rout expressed concern over the MLA’s arrest while the Assembly session was on.

Senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan said there were gangs at war in the colliery area.