Medha Patkar recounts tale of police atrocities

MUMBAI, May 31: Environmental activist Medha Patkar who was released on bail yesterday, following her arrest by the Raigad police, arrived ...

MUMBAI, May 31: Environmental activist Medha Patkar who was released on bail yesterday, following her arrest by the Raigad police, arrived here today, to begin a dharna outside the Mantralaya against the Enron power project.

Speaking to the media persons. she alleged that protesters belonging to the National Alliance of People’s Movements were brutally beaten by police for violating prohibitory orders in the district.

Patkar pointed out that prohibitory orders were imposed against the Konkan Vikas Yatra at Raigad district. The participants in the yatra were arrested when they attempted to defy prohibitory orders. According to the members of the entourage accompanying Patkar, the women in the group were subjected to brutal beatings by male police personnel before all demonstrators were packed off to Yerwada jail in Pune.

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In an attempt to prevent untoward incidents near the Indian Petro Chemicals Ltd, the collector of Raigad ordered that the demonstrators be prevented from converging at the site.

Among the projects opposed by the NAPM include the five-star hotel proposed to be constructed by the Taj group at Velgar village on the Konkan coast. The activists allege that a fishing communities along the coast will be displaced to accomodate the hotel project.