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Odisha: Tribals clash with police over bauxite mine road project, 40 personnel injured
Villagers, who have been protesting the project for days, gathered to block the work and raised slogans.
Around 40 police personnel were injured on Tuesday after violent clashes broke out between tribals and security forces protesting a road project linked to the proposed Sijimali bauxite mine in Odisha’s Rayagada district, officials said.
The violence erupted in Sagabari village under Kashipur block, where residents opposing the mining-linked infrastructure project allegedly attacked police with stones, axes and other sharp weapons, escalating a long-running conflict over land, forest rights and industrial development in the region.
Police said the confrontation began early in the day when personnel were deployed to facilitate construction of a roughly 3-kilometre road from Purlang to Sagabari Ghat, intended to provide access to the Sijimali mining site. Villagers, who have been protesting the project for days, gathered to block the work, raising slogans against the company and the administration.
Rayagada superintendent of police Swathy S Kumar said tensions escalated when protesters turned violent during negotiations with officials, leading to a sudden assault on the police contingent. Among those injured include Rayagada sub-divisional police officer Girishankar Sahu and Kashipur police station inspector-in-charge Dev Mallick. More than 30 other personnel also sustained injuries, with at least seven reported to be in critical condition, said the SP. “The situation is being closely monitored and additional forces have been deployed to prevent further escalation,” she added.
The injured were initially treated at Kashipur community health centre before being shifted to the Rayagada district hospital. Five of the critically injured were later referred to a medical facility in Visakhapatnam in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh for advanced care, officials said.
In response, police fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control. The district administration subsequently imposed prohibitory orders under restricting assembly of more than four people within a 100-metre radius of the project site for a period of one month.
The clash is the latest flashpoint in a prolonged standoff between local tribals and district administration over the Sijimali bauxite mining project, which has faced sustained opposition since it was auctioned in March 2023 to Vedanta Ltd after the company emerged as the highest bidder. The project involves an estimated bauxite reserve of about 311 million tonnes and is expected to produce around 9 million tonnes annually to feed the company’s alumina refinery in Lanjigarh area of Kalahandi district.
For Vedanta, securing a steady supply of bauxite from Sijimali is considered critical to sustaining operations at the refinery, which currently depends on imported ore and has faced concerns over long-term viability.
The proposed mining area spans roughly 1,500 hectares, including more than 700 hectares of forest land, and would involve open-cast extraction, raising environmental and social concerns among local communities.
Local tribals as well as activists have repeatedly alleged that the project threatens forests, water sources and traditional livelihoods, while also encroaching on land considered sacred by indigenous groups.
The project has also encountered regulatory hurdles. In July, the Union environment ministry deferred a decision on diverting forest land for the project after its advisory panel flagged inadequate consideration of local objections, some of which are pending before the Orissa high court.
Legal and procedural disputes have further complicated the project’s progress. Under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, companies must obtain consent from local village councils, or Gram Sabhas, before diverting forest land. While authorities have claimed that several Gram Sabhas approved the project in late 2023, many villages later passed resolutions denying that such meetings took place, alleging the approvals were fabricated.
Opposition to the project has also led to periodic confrontations in the past. In August 2023, villagers reportedly blocked company officials and police from entering the area, leading to arrests on charges including rioting and attempted murder. Public hearings held later that year saw large gatherings of residents voicing strong objections to the mining plans.
Last month, activist Lingaraj Azad was arrested and charged under stringent laws, including provisions related to unlawful activities and criminal conspiracy.
Officials refused to comment on whether the latest violence would affect the timeline of the road construction or the broader mining project.
Neither Vedanta nor Mythri Infrastructure, which is constructing the road, responded to HT’s queries on the incident.
Police said an investigation into Tuesday’s incident was underway and that action would be taken against those involved in the violence.
