Anti-mining activists arrested, bail rejected, sent to jail (!)
Dr.Badal Tah,Odishabarta
Rayagada, 22 October: Police have arrested Dr Randall Secquira and Laxman Nayak, a functionary of the Maa Mati Mali Suraksha Mancha, on charges of involvement in an anti-mining agitation. Initially, both were detained and interrogated at the Bhawanipatna Town Police Station. Later, in connection with Kashipur Police Station Case No. 85/2026, they were reportedly produced before the SDJM Court in Rayagada. According to reports, after their bail petitions were rejected, they were remanded to the Rayagada jail.
According to police allegations, on April 2 and 3, when local residents were staging a protest opposing road construction at Kantamala under Kashipur block, Dr Secquira and Laxman were present at the spot. Police alleged that during this time, they instigated the crowd, who pelted stones and sticks at police personnel. A case has reportedly been registered in connection with the incident under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with Section 27 of the Arms Act. However, a detailed response from the police has not yet been obtained. Dr Randall Sequeira, a member of Medico Friend Circle (MFC), who has spent years providing healthcare to Adivasis in remote parts of Odisha, is associated with the Maa Mati Mali Surakhya Manch alongwith Laxman Naik, a Dalit leader of the Manch.
On the other hand, Lada Sikaka, president of the Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti, along with Lingaraj Azad, advisor to the samiti as well as the Maa Mati Mali Suraksha Mancha, and Kanindra Jalika are reportedly detained as undertrial prisoners. Similarly, Hiramal Nayak, another key activist of the Sijimali movement, is lodged in Bhawanipatna Jail. Meanwhile, eminent environmentalist Prafulla Samantara and Narendra Mohanty have alleged that police are vindictively and illegally arresting activists supporting anti-mining and people’s movements.
They alongwith eminent Gandhians namely Krishna Mohanty(Daughter of former CM Nabakrushna Choudhury), Prof. Swadhin Pattnaik, Adv. Biswapriya Kanungo (human rights lawyer), Debaranjan, Pramodini Pradhan (civil liberties activist, PUCL), Srikanta Mohanty, Srimant Mohanty, Saranya, Nigamananda Sarangi, Prakash Kumar Samantsinghar, Sidharth Kar, Dr Biswajit(Gandhi Peace Centre), Mihir Pratap Das(State President, Utkal Sarvodaya Mandal) have demanded the immediate release of the arrested activists and protested against the government’s repressive approach.
