The Jagatsinghpur Collector filed a status report on the ground situation in Dhinkia village in the Orissa High Court today.
The High Court had requested a status report from the Odisha government’s Home Department during a hearing on a PIL filed by Kuni Mallick and four others on January 20 seeking an investigation into “police atrocities” committed on the residents of Dhinkia by a committee comprised of a retired judge of the high court, social activists, and members of the civil society.
Another PIL in this regard was also filed by a consortium of three well-known High Court lawyers.
The High Court today directed the petitioners to file a response to the government’s status report, which was submitted today. The next hearing in the case has been set for February 16 by the High Court.
Jindal Steel Works plans to build a 13.2 million tonne per year integrated steel plant in Dhinkia village, Erasama block, Jagatsinghpur district (JSW).
On January 14, during land acquisition for the proposed JSW project in Dhinkia village, villagers and police clashed, injuring more than two dozen villagers and five police officers.
Prasanta Patnaik