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Three killed, 19 injured in police-tribals clash in Orissa
At least three tribals were killed and 19 people, including 18 policemen, were injured in Saturday`s clash in a village in Rayagada district of Orissa, police said on Sunday.
At least three tribals were killed and 19 people, including 18 policemen, were injured in Saturday's clash in a village in Rayagada district of Orissa, police said on Sunday.
Police had fired 19 rounds after tear gas, lathicharge and firing in the air failed to disperse the tribals who attacked a police team with guns, bows and arrows and stones in Maikanch village, DSP Y K Jethwa told PTI.
The incident took place when the police team led by a DSP visited the village in connection with assaulting of six journalists and district President of BJD Bhaskar Rao there on the previous day.
"The situation in the remote tribal village was very tense and armed police platoons had been deployed around it," Jethwa said.
Some more people might have been injured in Saturday's firing but we do not have the exact details," the DSP said, adding that the casualty figure among tribals was based on the information provided by the villagers as the tribals led by an NGO 'Agragamee' did not allow a medical team to enter Maikanch.
Police found only one critically injured tribal on Saturday who has been shifted to a hospital in Berhampur.
The incident is a fall out of a long-standing feud over setting up of a private sector alumina plant in the area, which is being opposed by the NGO.
Bureau Report