Man crushed in Rourkela Steel Plant’s anti-encroachment drive, violence erupts

Outraged locals attacked officials, leaving additional tehsildar Purusottam Nayak and six police officers, including an assistant sub-inspector, injured

Published on: Apr 19, 2025, 17:32:52 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Bhubaneswar: Violence broke out in Odisha’s Bondamunda area on Saturday after a 37-year-old man was crushed under a bulldozer during the removal of illegal encroachments, part of the Rourkela Steel Plant’s plan to expand its transport infrastructure. Outraged locals attacked officials on the spot, leaving Additional Tehsildar Purusottam Nayak and six police officers, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector, injured.

The eviction drive was reportedly part of the Rourkela Steel Plant’s efforts to expand its transport infrastructure by doubling rail tracks between the plant and Dumerta to improve connectivity to Basuan

“Etok Ekka died after being hit by a bulldozer that was clearing the illegal encroachment in the Bondamunda area. As the slum dwellers who had encroached upon the railway track started attacking the police, who were there to assist with the removal of encroachments, they came under a bow and arrow attack by the slum dwellers, resulting in injuries to additional tehsildar Purusottam Nayak and six policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector,” a police official said.

The locals, who were protesting on Friday as well, alleged that the work was being carried out forcibly. “They had erected a barricade, used force, and tried to chase us away. Yesterday, we had staged a demonstration, and the tehsildar had asked us to meet the additional district magistrate (ADM). We had clearly stated that no work should be undertaken without prior consultation with the ADM. When we went to have a discussion with the ADM, they started the work,” a local protestor said.

Also Read: 9 workers hospitalised in Odisha after gas leak at Rourkela Steel Plant

According to officials, the Rourkela Steel Plant plans to revive its defunct rail track between the steel plant and Dumerta in order to avoid the congested Bondamunda rail route for direct transportation of raw materials. The four-kilometre-long railway line, which had remained unused for long, was allegedly uprooted in several places. “Over time, encroachments emerged, with unauthorised residential structures being constructed along the route. In an effort to reclaim the land and revive the defunct line, a team from the Rourkela Steel Plant visited the site in December last year, but was driven away by the encroachers,” an official said.

The RSP currently has one operational double-track connected to the congested Bondamunda railway yard on the Howrah-Mumbai main line of South Eastern Railway. For a second rail line with double tracks between the plant and Dumerta via Barkani, the RSP had deposited ₹132 crore with South Eastern Railway. “With the double tracks, the RSP would be able to bypass the congested Bondamunda route, and through Dumerta, raw materials could be freely transported from the Barsuan, Kalta, and Taldihi iron ore mines of RSP in the Koida Mining Circle,” the official said.

Currently, steel-laden goods trains or empty wagons from the RSP halt at the Bondamunda yard before being allowed onto the main line. Similarly, incoming goods trains carrying minerals to RSP have to halt at Bondamunda yard before entering the plant.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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