Violent clashes broke out in Odisha’s Rayagada district on April 7 over opposition to a proposed bauxite mining project in Sijimali, with tribal protesters and police engaging in confrontations that left around 70 people injured, officials and villagers said.
The dispute centres on Vedanta Ltd’s proposed bauxite mining project in the Sijimali hills, where an access road is being constructed between Purulang and Sagabari Ghati in Kashipur block to facilitate movement of machinery. The area falls within Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.
Police said the clashes erupted when villagers opposing the road construction attacked security personnel with stones, axes and sharp weapons. Security forces responded with lathi charge and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Six injured personnel were shifted to Visakhapatnam for advanced treatment.
However, villagers alleged that police entered the area in the early hours of April 7, cut electricity supply, broke down doors and conducted raids on houses of those protesting against the project. They also claimed that a cow died due to tear gas exposure and several vehicles were damaged during the operation.
Following unsuccessful negotiations between officials and protestors a day earlier, the district administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in Shagabari village, Rayagada Collector Kulkarni Ashutosh C said.
The protest is linked to Vedanta Ltd’s Sijimali bauxite block, allocated in 2023, covering around 1,549 hectares across Rayagada and Kalahandi districts with an estimated 311 million tonnes of bauxite reserves. The company has engaged Mythri for project development.
Also read: Chhattisgarh Vedanta plant blast toll rises to 17
Villagers from Kantamal, Sagabari, Bantej, Bondel and nearby areas have been opposing the project since 2023, alleging that forest rights and Gram Sabha consent procedures were not properly followed. Protesters have set up makeshift camps in the Sijimali hills to block any preparatory mining activity.
Community members allege that protests have been met with police action, including arrests and cases against activists over the past two years. Some activists claim they have faced repeated detention and harassment for opposing the project.
In August 2025, tribal activist Naringi Dei Majhi was detained while accompanying her pregnant daughter-in-law to hospital, according to villagers. In March 2026, two protest leaders, Lingaraj Azad and Suresh Sangram, were arrested in Kalahandi district.
The Odisha government maintains that Gram Sabha meetings were conducted in eight villages on December 8, 2023, and that consent for forest diversion was obtained under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. However, villagers and activists have disputed this claim, alleging irregularities in the process.
A Congress fact-finding team has also alleged discrepancies in Gram Sabha records, including claims of forged signatures and procedural violations. RTI-based allegations have further pointed to inconsistencies in attendance records.
Villagers from affected areas have approached the Odisha High Court, stating that they did not provide consent for forest diversion. In July 2025, the Union government temporarily halted forest clearance proceedings after concerns were raised over alleged irregularities, but the process resumed later with Stage-1 clearance recommended in December 2025.
Activists argue that the project violates provisions under the Forest Rights Act and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, which require prior informed consent from Gram Sabhas in Scheduled Areas.
Meanwhile, protests continue in Rayagada district, with restrictions still in place and security deployment maintained in the area. The administration has appealed for calm while asserting that law and order is being maintained
Follow us
