Randall Sequeira, Laxman Naik arrests aim to clear way for Odisha mining: Activists

Rights groups allege a crackdown on anti-mining protests in Odisha's Kalahandi and Rayagada districts

Doctor and community health organiser Randall Sequeira and Dalit activist Laxman Naik were arrested in Odisha on 16 October amid protests against bauxite mining, with activists alleging that the arrests are part of a wider effort to suppress resistance and facilitate mining projects.

According to a report by The Wire , police officers picked up the two from Sequeira's residence in Kalahandi district at around 11 pm. The Medico Friend Circle, a network of doctors and health practitioners, and a report by Ground Xero said Sequeira and Naik were not named in the first information report (FIR) relating to a clash in Kantamal village.

The clash reportedly followed police action against residents, including the use of tear gas and lathi charges. The confrontation resulted in injuries on both sides.

Sequeira and Naik are currently lodged in Rayagada sub-jail. They face charges including attempt to murder, rioting with deadly weapons, dacoity and criminal intimidation, according to The Wire .

The arrests come amid a prolonged movement led by the Maa Mati Maala Surakhya Manch against bauxite mining in the region. The protests have included sit-ins, marches and vigils, with Adivasi and Dalit communities seeking to protect their land, forests and water resources.

Doctor's work among Adivasi communities

Sequeira, who completed his MBBS at St John's Medical College in Bengaluru, has lived in Kalahandi for more than five years, working with Adivasi communities on access to healthcare and social justice.

He has also participated in protests against proposed bauxite mining in the Sijimali forests, where the Vedanta group is associated with a mining project, and Kutrumalli, where the Adani Group is linked to a project.

.Shocked at Odisha Governor 'will work to strengthen BJP' remark, condemn it: BJD. Sequeira's work has focused on the relationship between public health and social conditions, including access to clean water, air and nutritious food. Mining-related pollution and displacement can expose communities to environmental and health risks, according to studies cited in The Wire .

Nilesh Mohite, a close friend, said Sequeira had given up his medical practice to work full-time with the movement and had spent the past five to six years learning about tribal communities and their cultures.

Sequeira's mother, Nancy Sequeira, said her son was fighting for the rights and dignity of Adivasi people. She said he had served communities in Kalahandi and Rayagada as a specialist in internal medicine and expressed hope that justice would prevail.

Activists allege criminalisation of anti-mining movement

According to activists cited by The Wire , more than 100 Dalit and Adivasi people have been arrested and 43 cases filed since the resistance against mining began in 2023. They allege that criminal cases and stringent charges are being used to intimidate people opposing mining projects.

Feminist researcher Ranjana Padhi alleged that the state administration was facilitating corporate interests by using the criminal justice system against local communities and activists supporting them.

The movement's demands include the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), which provide safeguards relating to forest rights and local self-governance in scheduled areas.

According to the report, gram sabhas formed by local residents in 2023 rejected bauxite mining proposals. Community members have alleged that they were subsequently pressured to accept the projects in the presence of armed security personnel. The matter is being contested in the Orissa High Court.

Rights groups demand release of activists

Several rights organisations have condemned the arrests and called for the release of those detained in connection with the anti-mining movement.

The Right to Food network demanded justice in the cases, the immediate release of Dalit activist Lingraj Azad, who was arrested in March, and an end to the alleged harassment of activists and people's movements.

The Human Rights Forum said Sequeira's arrest was particularly troubling because of his work to improve healthcare access in remote areas. It warned that the action could discourage people from supporting Adivasi and Dalit communities.

The arrests have intensified concerns among rights groups about the treatment of anti-mining protesters and the future of community-led efforts to protect land and natural resources in Odisha.