Zee News cited Mr Naveen Patnaik CM of Orissa as saying that at least 18 persons including a woman were arrested and 100 cases registered against those involved in anti POSCO agitation.

Mr Patnaik in his reply to a question on the government's action against those opposing the country's biggest FDI said that all the cases were registered at Kujang police station in Jagatsinghpur district and 490 persons were named as accused in the FIRs.

He said “Mr Abhaya Sahu president of POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti was among those arrested and sent to jail.”

As many as 32 criminal cases were registered against Mr Sahu before he was arrested on October 12th 2008, while at least 18 cases had been registered against Mr Sisir Mohapatra the present president of the PPSS and sarpanch of Dhinkia gram panchayat.

PPSS, a CPI backed organization has been spearheading agitation against the South Korean steel major's INR 51,000 crore project since the formal signing of the MoU.

Official sources said “At least 1 person identified as Mr Dula Mandal was killed in a clash between the supporters and opponents of the POSCO project on June 20th 2008. The sources said that besides, at least 85 people were injured and 9 of them were subsequently rendered invalid as they lost their limbs in a clash with the police, adding that the proposed plant site near Paradip had been witnessing clashes at regular intervals.

The police said “This apart, at least 2 kidnapping incidents involving South Korean nationals were also registered in connection with anti POSCO agitation.”

(Sourced from zeenews.com)