In Odisha, about 32 persons have been arrested today for obstructing the land acquisition process for the Rs 52,000 crore Posco steel project near Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district. The incident occurred when activists of United Action Committee, which was earlier supporting the biggest Foreign Direct Investment project in the country, were trying to block the entry route to Gada Kujanga opposing land acquisition work by the officials. The president of the United Action Committee Anadi Rout and other arrested persons have been taken into police custody at Paradip. Tension prevailed in Posco project site area following arrest of the local villagers. The United Action Committee has turned hostile since the first day of land acquisition yesterday as the Odisha Government failed to meet their demands.

However, the officials destroyed five betel vines today in the process of land acquisition and had to return as no other farmer turned up to identify their land.

Meanwhile, the activists of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), a body opposing the Posco project, have blocked the road to Dhinkia and Gobindpur, while supporters of Bhitamati Suraksha Manch staged a blockade near Nuagaon. More than 700 police personnel have been deployed in Balitutha, Gobindpur, Gada Kujanga, Nuagaon and other areas in order to ensure smooth land acquisition work and prevent any untoward incident.