Govt decides to scale down security forces

VISAKHAPATNAM: Keeping in view of resentment among villagers of Kakarapalli power plant affected areas, the state government has decided to withdraw police forces from the 8-km stretch of Santabommali-Akasa Lakkavaram villages.

The decision was taken after Andhra (east) zone IG Vinay Kumar Singh held discussions with Vadditandra and Lakkavaram villagers on Wednesday. The people urged the IG to immediately recall the cops from their villages and adjacent hamlets as they were terrified by the presence of such a huge force, said to number around 1,500-2,000 personnel.

Singh told TOI that the villagers had requested him to withdraw the forces from the vicinity of their villages. "They said they have nothing against the police, but the presence of huge forces is shattering the peace in their villages," he said. The IG said the people had assured him that they would resort to peaceful means of protest against the setting up of power plant and pleaded for lifting of Section 144 of IPC.

"We explained to them that the firing was an unfortunate incident. I asked them not to take law into their hands," he said. He said a majority of the forces was being withdrawn immediately from the trouble-prone villages. "A few personnel would be stationed at the plant site," the IG said.

A large number of security personnel were deployed at the plant site 15 days ago. Agitators clashed with the police on Friday for the first time when scores of people were injured and more than 100 people were arrested by the police. On Monday, police triggered tear gas shells and fired with rubber bullets on villagers resulting in loss of two lives and injuring six persons. Over 26 thatched houses and more than 100 acres of paddy stacks were gutted when the cops lobbed smoke bombs.