Click to play videoNew Delhi: The hostage crisis in Orissa is over. Three executives of the Korean steel company POSCO were set free on Saturday after being taken hostage by protesting farmers at Gobindpur. Two hostages were handed over to the police after hectic negotiations late Friday night.
The drama began around 1600 hours IST on Friday, when agitating farmers protesting the South Korean steelmaker's $12 billion venture in the state, stopped the vehicle of the three officials including a woman and took them hostage.
“One of them, a woman, was released earlier and two were released by early morning, Seoul time,'' Ko Min Jin, a spokeswoman at POSCO, the world's fourth-largest steelmaker, said on Saturday.
The officials - Debasish Swain, a senior executive and Pranabananda Das, a public relations officer - whose car had been damaged by the locals were allowed to leave at around 1:15 hours IST.
They were escorted to one of the eight bamboo gates and handed over to Anil Kumar Mishra, inspector of Kujang police station.
Posco is acquiring land in the area to set up a steel plant and farmers have been agitating against this. After the hostage drama, POSCO has stated that it will now negotiate land acquisition only through the Government. One of the kidnapped posco officials Debashish Swain has said POSCO officials will now not enter the village without the villagers' consent.
Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samity head warned the Orissa government of serious consequences if the company made further attempts to acquire land. “If POSCO officials attempt acquiring land for the company's activities, they may face serious consequences ahead,” said Abhay Sahoo Chairman PPSS Committee.
The company spokesman - Sashanka Patnaik however said the company is determined to set up its steel plant at the proposed site and is unfazed by the hostage crisis.
“As far as the company is concerned, despite the hurdles it is determined to set up its plant at the proposed site. There is solid support for the plant not only by the local villagers but also by the district as well as the state administration,” said Patnaik.
He also refuted statement that company has now decided to confine its talks to the state administration. “We will continue with our public contact programme. We will work in tandem with the administration,” he added.
On being asked if the company is prepared to face another hostage crisis he said, “We understand that any mega project of this magnitude is subject to such kind of hostilities but we are not perturbed by that and we will continue with our efforts.”
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