Several villagers, police personnel injured in clash in Odisha amid protests against mining of bauxite

Several villagers and police personnel were injured on Tuesday in a clash in Odisha’s Rayagada district, where residents have been protesting against the construction of a road to a bauxite mine, officials said.

Tension has gripped the region ever since attempts were made to lay the road. Tribal communities have been opposing mining at Sijimali, estimated to hold 311 million tonnes of bauxite, claiming that it would deplete perennial water sources and severely impact their livelihood.

The villagers alleged that the police resorted to lathi charge after asking them to come out of their homes around 3 a.m.

“A police team had gone to Kutamal village to execute a non-bailable warrant around 5 a.m. Suddenly, we came under attack from villagers. The police found it difficult to retreat. As many as 58 personnel, including a Sub-Divisional Officer, were injured. Six personnel were shifted to Visakhapatnam as their condition deteriorated,” said Rayagada Superintendent of Police Swathy S. Kumar.

The police were forced to resort to lathi charge and fire tear gas shells to disperse villagers who pelted stones, Ms. Kumar said, adding that the situation is now under control.

According to activists, eight villagers sustained serious injuries after being beaten up by the police.

Proposed project

Vedanta Limited, declared the preferred bidder for the Sijimali bauxite block spread over Rayagada and Kalahandi districts, has proposed to extract 9 million tonnes per annum.

“Vedanta allegedly secured forest clearance through fraudulent means. Records indicate that a government official was present at all eight gram sabhas simultaneously on a single day during public hearings. This raises questions about the process and its credibility. It is unclear under whose pressure the State government is pushing for mining at Sijimali,” said Prafulla Samantra, an activist.

Mr. Samantra alleged that the police assaulted the villagers to deter them from opposing the project.

“Currently, 23 people, including a pregnant woman, are in jail. Since 2023, the police have been picking up villagers without reason. Through a government notification, many activists were earlier prohibited from entering Rayagada district,” he said.