Police hunt for contractor in Posco violence

Orissa Police are looking for a contractor to investigate his role in the December 14 clashes near the Posco steel plant site in which one person was killed, an official said Monday.

Bhubaneswar: Orissa Police are looking for a contractor to investigate his role in the December 14 clashes near the Posco steel plant site in which one person was killed, an official said Monday.

District Superintendent of Police SSDD Singh said a police team on Sunday raided the house and office of Bapi Sarkhel, a contractor and trade union leader at the port town of Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district.

"We could not find him. Efforts are on to take him into custody for questioning," Singh said. He, however, said that no incriminating evidence was found during the searches.

Police have registered two cases against Sarkhel after allegations surfaced that he fomented trouble at the site and used goons to attack anti-Posco villagers.

The clashes erupted after hundreds of villagers did not allow workers to carry out the construction of a road in the region.

The 10-km coastal road will help authorities speed up work for the South Korean steel major Posco`s USD 12 billion project for a composite steel and power plant, the country`s largest foreign direct investment.

IANS

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