Tension prevailed at the construction site of the bridge over river Kusei at Belabahali in Keonjhar district on Friday following a clash between the locals and the police.
Fresh violence was triggered when the administration began constructing the approach road of the proposed bridge. The district administration had deployed 22 platoons of police forces and five Magistrates to maintain law and order. However, the locals opposing the bridge construction resorted to heavy brick-batting in the afternoon, sources said.
The police had to fire tear gas shells and resort to lathicharge to disperse the violent mob. Four people have been detained by the police but there are no reports of any injury to anyone from both the warring sides, said police sources.
A medical team with two ambulances was rushed to the spot to provide medical assistance to those injured in the clash.
The entire area is in grip of darkness after power connection was snapped to Belabahali village, said sources.
Notably, the district administration earlier attempts to go ahead with the construction of the bridge have failed a number of times.
It may be recalled here that there has been a longstanding standoff over the location of the bridge site. locals are opposing the bridge at the particular site and there have been violent confrontations with the police. Earlier attempts of the administration to go ahead with the construction of the proposed bridge have failed a number of times.
A local organisation had even knocked at the doors of the Orissa High Court but it quashed the petition and gave a go ahead for construction of the proposed National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) bridge.