Tension continues in Posco area, land acquisition halted

--D Raja reiterates demand for withdrawal of police force

JAGATSINGHPUR: Bowing to pressure from protestors and mounting criticism from political parties over police repression on agitating villagers at proposed Posco plant site near Govindpur village, district administration on Thursday maintained complete halt in dismantling betel vines and land acquisition work for second consecutive day. 

Reports said that no senior civil and police officials including the Collector and the Superintendent of Police had visited the agitation site. Under the leadership of CPI national secretary and MP D Raja, a large number of activists from CPI, CPI (M), Forward Bloc, Samajwadi Party, RJD, supporters of BJP and Congress and members from different NGOs participated in the demonstration in front of the temporary camp of the police near Gobindpur-Mangala Chhak.