Massive protests are erupting against a local police raid conducted on April 7 in Kantamal village, located in the Kalahandi district of Odisha. Organizations such as the People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) have pointed out that these police raids are intended to suppress protests against the bauxite mining currently being undertaken by a private company, Vedanta, in the hilly region of Sijimali in Odisha. In March, the police had arrested villagers and leaders of the ‘Ma Mati Mali Suraksha Manch,’ an organization that led the protests against the mining. The raid on April 7 and the subsequent arrests of protesters are a continuation of these actions.

Government Sanctioned Mining: 

In March 2023, the Odisha government granted permission to the Vedanta company to mine bauxite in the Sijimali region for a period of 50 years. Sijimali is a mountainous area spanning across Thuamul Rampur, Kashipur, Kalahandi, and Rayagada. The government allocated approximately 1,549 hectares of land in this Sijimali region to Vedanta for mining, of which 699 hectares consist of forest land. Popular protests have emerged against the government's decision from the very beginning. Tribal communities mobilized under leaders like Lingaraj Azad and Suresh Sangram, and organizations such as Ma Mati Mali were formed to lead the struggle.

Arrests and Legal Actions: 

Talampadar is a small village in the Kalahandi district consisting of about 120 houses located close to one another. On March 11, police stormed the village and arrested 21 people. The arrests were based on a complaint filed by an individual who supports the Vedanta company. Among those arrested were women aged between 18 and 50, including pregnant women. The police have registered cases against them under serious charges, including attempted murder. The court has not yet granted bail to any of these twenty-one individuals. On March 25, the police arrested Lingaraj Azad and Suresh Sangram, who were leading the protests, at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district. Lingaraj Azad was a leader of the Samajwadi Jan Parishad, while Suresh Sangram was a leader of the Ma Mati Mali Suraksha Manch, formed to protest the mining. The court has not granted bail to either of them so far.

The Raid on April 7: 

The police raid on April 7 must be understood as a continuation of these arrests. On April 3, the police declared prohibitory orders in Kantamal village. This was intended to facilitate the construction of a road through Kantamal village to the Sijimali bauxite mining site. However, defying the prohibitory orders, villagers staged a sit-in on the road from April 4 to April 6, disrupting the construction work. At 2:00 AM on April 7, a large police force entered the village. They used tear gas against the villagers. Two women were seriously injured in the police attack. The police atrocities continued until dawn.

Currently, organizations like the People’s Union for Democratic Rights are engaged in efforts to secure the release of those arrested. Simultaneously, human rights organizations are continuing their efforts to halt the mining, which is detrimental to both the environment and the people of the region.