Paradip, Aug. 4: A crackdown against power theft took a violent turn in a slum here with a pitched battle taking place between law enforcers and local residents.

The residents of Sandhakuda slum pelted bricks and stones at personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) when a team arrived there to disconnect illegal power connections.

The protesters used women and children as human shield. The CISF retaliated in self-defence and used batons to disperse the mob. At least 20 persons, including some CISF personnel, were injured in the violence.

“The slum dwellers had tapped the power line that was connected to the CISF residential complex. With permission from Paradip Port Trust, we launched a drive to disconnect the illegal power supply to the hutments. The local residents reacted violently. The mob pelted stones and bricks at us. We were forced to baton-charge. Two of our personnel were injured in the attack by the slum dwellers,” said CISF commandant Sitanshu Sekhar Mishra.

Jagatsinghpur police chief Satyabrata Bhoi said normality had been restored in the area and armed police deployed at the troubled spot to thwart possible breach of law and order. “The attack on the CISF personnel was unlawful. Three persons have been taken into custody,” he said.

Angry residents later staged a road blockade against what they said was an “unprovoked” assault on them by the CISF personnel.

Akhsaya Parida, local councillor, said: “People have been living here since the 1950s. We have been pleading for power supply to the slum. The residents are ready to pay power dues. But the authorities concerned have turned a blind eye to their request.”

On the other hand, the port’s superintendent engineer (electricity) Prafulla Dixit said the Paradip Port Trust was not empowered to provide power supply to unauthorised settlements.