Top anti-Posco leader Abhay Sahu arrested

The police on Friday arrested top anti-Posco leader Abhay Sahu for his alleged involvement in several cases. Sahu, president of Posco Pratirodh Samgram Samiti (PPSS), spearheading agitation against the
proposed $12 billion steel plant by the South Korean steel major Posco in Jagatsinghpur district, was
arrested in the evening near Nuapokhari village near Ersama in the district, about 20 km from paradip.

Jagatsinghpur district police SP Devdutta Singh said: "Sahu was arrested for his involvement in several cases including tampering evidence in a dowry death case and atrocity against Scheduled Caste persons."

The PPSS condemned the arrest and described it as a conspiracy to suppress the movement Posco. "The state government thinks by arresting Sahu it can weaken the movement. They are wrong as they could not suppress it last time when Sahu was arrested in 2008," said Prasant Paikray, spokesperson of PPSS.

Cops bust criminal gang

Paradip, April 4: The son of a port trust employee, who allegedly ran a well-knit crime syndicate and unleashed lawlessness in Paradip and adjoining areas, was arrested today by local police.

The arrest of 24-year-old Siba Prasad Mallick has revealed disturbing facts of how educated youths from decent family backgrounds have begun making foray into dark alleys of crime. The police are looking for his associates.

The gang led by Siba Prasad Mallick is alleged to be involved in cases of extortion in the fast-growing Paradip township and industrial zones around it. The police said that the gang had been collecting money from contractors, builders and real-estate agents by issuing threats.

“Mallick’s father is an employee in the public health engineering wing of the port trust. Mallick is a graduate and has been living the quarter allotted to his father in Madhuban locality. His parents and family members seemed to be unaware of his criminal antecedents,” said Shantanu Kumar Das, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Paradip. Though Mallick did not have any criminal records, the police had maintained close watch on his activities for some time. “We had received conclusive feedback that he was operating a racket of criminals to terrorise the traders, real estate businessmen, builders, contractors and construction companies,” the police said.

A revolver and live cartridges were seized from his possession. He was charged with offences of extortion and carrying illegal arms, and was forwarded to court.

Mallick’s link with a crime syndicate based in Kendrapara has been established. Police are looking for his associates. The area of operation of the band of criminals led by Mallick was mostly concentrated in the Indian Oil Company Limited’s project area near the port town.

“With construction work of the project going on in a big way in that area, the private farms engaged in the project works were becoming soft target of these criminals. Mallick and his associates used to extort them at gunpoint,” SDPO Das added.

(sourced from the telegraph)

Port city welcomed the lord of all craftsmen and architects in a cyclonic weather

In spite of cloudy weather and intermittent showers due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, the famous Viswakarma Puja of Paradip  started from September 17 here with much fanfare and enthusiasm.

Various worker unions, truck owner  associations,trawler owner association,dumper owner associations, electrical, public health and marine departments of the Paradip Port Trust were  organized the puja . Viswakarma Puja was also  celebrated in various industries in and around Paradip like IFFCO, PPL etc.

Many temporary shops and eateries had been opened for the visitors. information centers had also opened near the puja venues from municipality. Many reputed opera (jatra) groups and melody parties of Odisha as well as outside States had perform and entertained visitors with a wide range of entertainment programmes.

Paradip police had handled the traffic and low and order very efficiently. paradip municipality had engaged its men to keeping the city and puja venue clean and checking the quality of the food item sold near puja venue.PPT fire fighter were also camped and alerted near the venue to prevent any kind of fire accident,  the co-ordination between PPT,municipality and police department made the event very successful.peoples from every religion enjoyed the puja.