Bhubaneswar, Feb. 26 -- Tension continues to simmer in Lanjiberna under Rajgangpur block in Odisha's Sundargarh district over the proposed land acquisition for a mega cement project. What began as a protest by local villagers has now escalated into a major law and order challenge, with repeated face-offs between residents and the police.

On Thursday, hundreds of villagers gathered near the proposed project site and confronted police personnel deployed in the area. The situation soon turned volatile, leading to scuffles and a brief clash between the agitating crowd and security forces.

Eyewitnesses said the protesters broke through police barricades and entered the disputed land, asserting their ownership. In a symbolic act of resistance...