Shot, Abducted, and then Handed Over to the Police

Is this the new game of POSCO bribed police and judiciary and the state government of Odisha?

Image courtesy: thehindu.com

(CHENNAI, India) - Since 1977, I have documented many cases of forcible acquisition of lands all over India and personally conducted four in-depth studies but I have never seen this sort of organized criminality of a state government as in the POSCO case.

The collusion between the police and the judiciary has no precedence either. Here’s an example. A known criminal and the muscleman of the POSCO, Bapi Sarkel, who had been terrorizing the villagers was released on bail five days ago. Soon after Umakant Biswal was shot and abducted and is now in the police custody. Umakant was spearheading the anti-POSCO movement.

Umakant has not been presented to a magistrate. If he was shot and injured, law requires that he be given proper medical assistance even under policy custody. Even otherwise, the moment a person is taken into custody he/she is given a thorough medical check-up and that report is available to family members, relations and friends, the lawyer and the media for inspection. That is why unauthorized arrests and torture are condemned. But neither the judiciary nor the police have shown respect for law; they are peddling the POSCO dope.

If POSCO ever sets foot here and gets the port….that will be the beginning of the first most violent protest of the Indians. If the battle is lost, rest assured that the European plutocracy would’ve won.

I briefly spoke with the lawyer BN Sena on telephone [9556217739] and he told me that that there are many fictitious cases against Biswal and without going into the facts of the case the magistrate has refused to consider the bail application.

Prashant’s report below; please do read the appeal. It is important that all American pension funds withdraw their investments in POSCO.

Kind regards

Arun Shrivastava

Report from the POSCO war zone

The reign of terror has once again been unleashed in our POSCO targeted villages since 2nd March, 2012. This coincides with the release of the noted criminal Bapi Sarkel on February 29, 2012.

A group of armed men came around 1PM on 2nd March 2012 on motor cycle and took away Umakant Biswal age-33, of Dhinkia village-a known activist of the anti-POSCO struggle. Umakant was working at that time in his agricultural field. Umakant suspected them to be police and tried to run away but could not escape. People in the nearby area did hear some shots fired and they now strongly believe he was shot and injured, which has created tension in our villages. Reports indicate that he has been kept in Paradip police station and is being physically and mentally tortured. If he has sustained any bullet or other injuries they should take him to the hospital immediately but they are not doing that. As per the law, the police are supposed to produce him before the magistrate within 24 hours of arrest. However, more than 24 hours have passed but he has not been produced before the magistrate. No one including the villagers, lawyer or even the parents is allowed to meet him in the police station. The police have now virtually cordoned off our area and are now hunting innocent people for doing the ‘crime’ of democratic peaceful protests against a foreign multinational company called POSCO who is willing to adopt all illegal and unjust means both covertly and overtly to take away our resources.

For over three months now our leader Mr. Abhay Sahoo is in jail along with our supporter like Narayan Reddy and Jayant Biswal. On the other hand, Bapi Sarkel, known criminal and POSCO company's musclemen – also a local contractor and mafia don- who was the architect of 14th December, 2011 mayhem injuring our people has been released from jail on 29th February 2012 after a royal treatment in the jail which had been turned in to a 5 star hotel for him. Because of his role in helping POSCO forcibly acquire people's land, Bapi Sarkel has friendly police and the judiciary to aid and abet his nefarious activities.

In this Naveen Pattnaik government, the democratic leaders are languishing in the jail, and the mafia and anti-social elements are moving freely continuing their criminal activities.

Meanwhile our peaceful protest is continuing in the Govindpur village boarder opposing the POSCO project. It is important that American investors withdraw their support to POSCO.

Prashant Paikary
Spokesperson, POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti
Mobile no-09437571547