Dhenkanal, April 22: The Bhushan steel plant is embroiled in another controversy after a villager lodged a police complaint against one of its vice-presidents for threatening him.

Yesterday, Gopal Naik of Gotmara village lodged a complaint in Kantabania police station that the company’s vice-president threatened him with dire consequences when he had opposed dumping of ash on his land located near the steel plant’s premises two days ago.

Local villagers also alleged that the steel plant dumped ash everywhere at the village as the company lacked its ash pond.

In his complaint, Naik said the company had been using his land and others’ in that area for dumping ash generated from its power plant.

“I own a patch of land near the overbridge. On receiving information, I went to the site and found ash being dumped on my land. I found trucks loaded with ash arriving the spot and dumping the residue in the area. I objected, but they did not listen. When I insisted that they had no authority to use my land for such dumping purpose, an official of the company threatened to kill me if I kept on opposing them. I have lodged an FIR against him,” said Naik.

“I received the complaint. The matter is being investigated, and we are verifying the allegation that ash generated by the steel plant is being dumped on his land,” said inspector in charge of Kantabania police station Jitendra Sahu.

Senior vice-president of the company S. Tyagi, however, denied the allegation. “It is a totally baseless allegation against me. I do not know that man and have no idea why he has lodged a complaint against me. As such, the company does not dump ash on private land,” Tyagi said.

A few months ago, the sub-divisional officer of the Rengali irrigation project had lodged two complaints in Banarpal police station against the company authorities for dumping ash on the canal banks.