Ratnagiri:
Fresh protests erupted in Ratnagiri today following the death of a youth in police firing on Monday during demonstrations against the proposed Jaitapur nuclear power plant.
The protests have taken on political colours with the Maharashtra government accusing the Shiv Sena of stoking tension.
The police also stopped Sena leaders allegedly moving around the city and meeting protesters.
In the Maharashtra assembly, State Industries Minister Narayan Rane hit out at the Shiv Sena and accused them of actively fanning the protests.
He said, "If you thwart the development of the Konkan region, we will give a fitting response, an eye for an eye."
He also alleged that what happened in Jaitapur was a conspiracy that was hatched by the Shiv Sena on the 17th of April.
Hundreds of protesters came out on the streets and pelted stones, forcing the police to resort to lathicharge.
The reverberations were felt in Delhi too. The Congress and BJP spokespersons choose to talk about it in their respective press briefings.
BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy said the entire thing should be subject to a major debate in the country. This issue acquires importance post the Fukushima incident.
Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said, "It has to be seen whether the agitation is based upon real concerns or certain imaginary fears are being stoked by political parties or by vested interests. The civil nuclear programme is extremely important from the development point of view."
The protesters also blocked several major roads.
The district administration, meanwhile, has imposed prohibitory orders in the area under Section 144 as part of elaborate security arrangements to avoid any untoward incident. No one is being allowed in the vicinity of the proposed nuclear plant.
The body of the killed youth, 23-year-old Tabrez Abdul, meanwhile is still lying at the Ratnagiri Civic Hospital.
Abdul was killed in police firing on Monday at the Sakhrinate village when around 600-700 locals protesting against the proposed 9,900 MW Jaitapur project, attacked the local police station.
The agitators had stormed the police station when most officials were on duty at the project site in Jaitapur since the locals were to stage a demonstration there.
Anger was brewing in the area following Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh's statement last Friday ruling out a "rethink" on the project.
Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil said on Monday that the protesters were also suspected to have decamped with some firearms and ammunition.
"A deputy superintendent of police and some constables have been injured in the incident," Patil had said, adding the violent crowd set afire some police vehicles, forcing the police to fire in the air to scare the protesters away.
However, as that failed to bring the situation under control, police fired at the crowd resulting in the death of Abdul.
(With PTI inputs)