Jamshedpur : The demolition drive of Tata Steel quarters near Gandhi Chowk in Vidyapati Nagar under Sidhgora police station on Tuesday turned ugly as about 15 persons, including seven women, sustained injuries as police resorted to a lathicharge on protesters on the second day demolition drive. Three seriously injured are undergoing treatment at the MGM Medical College and Hospital.
Tata Steel subsidiary Jusco which was carrying out the demolition drive of over 50 illegally occupied quarters of the company had come to the site to remove the construction.
Meanwhile 50 members of the Mukhi Samaj, who had been staying in the quarters met the East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Amitabh Kaushal and Dhalbhum SDO Prem Ranjan at the district collectorate around the same time and were returning from the meeting after an assurance that demolition would be temporarily halted for two days.
However, as soon as the members of the Mukhi Samaj who had gone to meet the administration officials reached the site a section of the protesters started pelting stones on the payloaders and on the police jawans deployed at the site. The police force resorted to a mild-lathicharge.
Dhalbhum SDO Prem Ranjan said that administration after hearing the petition of the protesters had agreed to halt the demolition drive for two days.
The protesters meanwhile are contemplating to take legal recourse to get a stay order against the demolition drive.
�We are fighting for justice. The demolition work was carried out yesterday without any prior notice. We will not let the demolition work till we are given alternative settlement site,� said Baiju Mukhi senior functionary of the Mukhi Samaj.
Jusco spokesperson, Rajesh Rajan said that they have got permission from district administration to demolish 60 quarters illegally occupied by nearby slum residents.