By IANS,
Hyderabad : Two people were killed and two injured Monday when police opened fire to quell violent protests against a controversial thermal power plant in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, police said.
Police opened fire when the villagers attacked them with iron rods, sticks and stones at Vadditandra village of Santhabommali mandal in Srikakulam district, bordering Orissa.
The police opened fire after rubber bullets, teargas shells and baton charge failed to bring the situation under control, a police officer said.
The rampaging mobs set afire a police vehicle and fought pitched battles with the police in the village, about two km from Kakarapally, where East Coast Energy Pvt. Limited (ECEPL) is setting up a 2,640 MW coal-based thermal power plant at a cost of Rs.12,000 crore.
The situation in Vadditandra and surrounding villages is highly tense and police are sending additional forces from Srikakulam town.
At least 25 protesters were injured in the clashes with police Feb 25.
The villagers, including fishermen, are trying to stop the work which resumed last week after a disruption of over six months, saying that the power plant would damage the ecology of the area and affect their livelihood.
Two persons were killed and several others were injured July 14 last year when police opened fire on people protesting against a similar power project by Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) at Sompeta in the same district.