A 24-hour oil blockade program called by six local organizations of the Moran Community disrupts operation at oil wells of Oil India Limited (OIL).
Protesters’ against lathi charge and police actions
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Also, a 24-hour oil blockade program called by six local organisations of the Moran community in protest against police action against protesters at Baghjan in Assam’s Tinsukia district on Saturday disrupts operation at oil wells of Oil India Limited (OIL).
On July 24, people who were part of a group of 400 villagers agitating against the non-payment of compensation in the Baghjan oil well blowout incident were injured during lathi-charge and rubber bullet firing by the police.
According to reports, police used force and any available means to disperse the people who were blocking a strategic link road leading to the Baghajan oil field area of Oil for the last one week.
Call for 24-hour blockade; demands for the release of the innocent
All Moran Students’ Union (AMSU) general secretary Munin Duarah says, “We have called the oil blockade program along with five other Moran organizations to protest against the unprovoked lathi charge and firing by the police on the peacefully agitating people.”
Sarah says that the protest took place because OIL has yet to give full compensation to the victims of the Baghjan blowout.
Furthermore, the protest took place peacefully, protesting for their compensation. AMSU demands the unconditional release of the innocent arrested people and proper treatment of the injured.
Disruption of OIL operations
Consequently, OIL spoke person Tridiv Hazarika comments, “The 24-hour oil blockade has hampered production in our oilfields in Tinsukia district. Almost 60% of OIL’s production comes from the Tinsukia district. We are estimating a loss of 500-600 kilolitres of crude oil due to the blockade.”
