Mundra villagers held for ‘wall demolition’ at Adani Port & SEZ

Mundra police in Kutch district arrested three persons on Friday morning after a top Adani Port and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) official lodged an FIR alleging Shekhadiya villagers have destroyed the eastern boundary wall of the special zone.

However, relatives and neighbours of the three persons gathered at the police station and protested against the arrest. A two-kilometre long wall was allegedly demolished by the villagers.

Villagers also said they were not happy with the multinational corporation because the boundary wall reportedly blocks their access to land.

The FIR was lodged by APSEZ general manager Mukesh Saxena on Thursday, said police inspector K K Desai of the Mundra Marine police station.

The accused have been charged with unlawful assembly, criminal trespass and mischievously causing damage and booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, Desai said, adding, "Villagers are against the boundary wall because they think their land falls in this area."

Bhuj Superintendent of Police Bipin Ahire said, "The villagers wanted to talk to the company and had asked it to stop erecting the boundary wall till such talks. They wanted a system similar to the one Tata (whose power plant is located on the SEZ's western border) had implemented for pastoralists and other villagers."

"But the company did not respond and went ahead with building the wall, so the villagers broke it down," he said.

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