Deccan Chronicle office allegedly attacked by TDP workers after steel plant privatization report
Visakhapatnam: The Visakhapatnam office of Deccan Chronicle was allegedly attacked by workers of Andhra Pradesh's ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP). This followed the newspaper's report on the potential privatization of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), which had been pending for over three years.
The Deccan Chronicle accused TDP "goons" of attacking their office after publishing an "unbiased report" on the VSP privatization.
The TDP, along with its coalition partners BJP and Jana Sena Party, had won the Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls recently.
The report indicated that the newly-formed coalition government might allow the privatization of the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, the corporate entity of VSP.
Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma stated that VSP had incurred significant losses, and the Central government would not allow public money to be wasted.
The TDP had previously promised to keep the plant in the public sector.
The TDP won 135 out of 175 Assembly seats, with its allies, Jana Sena Party and BJP, winning 21 and 8 seats, respectively. The YSR Congress Party, which opposed the privatization, won 11 seats.
The VSP privatization emerged as a key issue ahead of the elections, with protests from workers' unions and opposition from the previous state government.
Despite the attack, the Deccan Chronicle stated that "intimidation tactics won’t silence us." The TDP is yet to comment on these allegations.
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4 workers die after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad
Dhanbad (Jharkhand) (PTI): At least four workers died after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Saturday, a police official said.
The incident took place at Moonidih coal washery in the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
"Bodies of all four workers were dug out of debris during a rescue operation," Putki police station in-charge Waqar Hussain told PTI.
The incident took place when coal slurry was being loaded into trucks by workers, during which a large chunk of slurry fell and trapped several workers underneath, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Manik Bauri, Dinesh Bauri, Deepak Bauri, and Hemlal Gope.
Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers placed the bodies in front of the washery gate and began a protest.
They demanded compensation, jobs for dependents and action against those responsible for the incident.
Police and administration officials are trying to pacify the protesters, an official said.
