A vehicle which was set on fire in Talcher on Friday. Telegraph pictures

Angul, Nov. 29: Supporters of Talcher MLA Braja Kishore Pradhan and a few contractors clashed today on the issue of working at two railway sidings in the local coalfields, leaving several injured.

The mob burnt nine vehicles, including the car of the area personal manager of Jagannath coalfield, and ransacked its general manager’s office. The mob torched more than 25 motorcycles.

Though there was also a report of Pradhan sustaining head injury, police denied it.

According to police sources, tension has been prevailing in Talcher coalfield since yesterday following the arrest of 49 workers and Pradhan on charge of obstructing loading work at the site.

Pradhan had demanded continuation of the casual workers’ jobs. But, the new contractors turned down the demand — which had led to tension following which the loading job remained stopped for the past two months.

The casual workers working with Talcher coalfield protested against the retrenchment of their fellow workers.

It has paralysed the work at the site since yesterday putting a stop on coal mining and despatch.

Contractual workers stage a dharna outside the sub-collectorate’s office in Talcher on Friday

“Today when the contractor went to the site with his workers, the retrenched labourers resisted their move. We are keeping a tab on the situation, which became tense in the colliery area following today’s clash,” said Angul superintendent of police Narasingh Bhol.

In another development, the contract workers, led by its association, laid siege of the Talcher sub-collector’s office since the violence.

“All the eight open cast coalmines and its offices were closed today due to the contract workers’ agitation,” said public relation officer of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited Dikken Mehera.

He appealed to all to help resolve the issue and restore normality in the collieries.