Clash over IIT Goa campus project; security beefed up

The situation in Goa’s Valpoi town remained tense on Thursday, a day after locals clashed with police to protest against the proposed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campus at the nearby Shel-Melauli village.

A police official said security has been stepped up and they have requisitioned additional force, as villagers remained stern on not allowing the demarcation of land for the construction of the IIT campus.

The land demarcation work was suspended temporarily on Thursday as per the government’s orders, the official said.

“The demarcation work can resume any time,” he added.

The IIT Goa campus is proposed on a 10 lakh square metre area in Shel-Malauli and Guleli villages, located around 50 km from the state capital Panaji.