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Hundreds Join Mass Protest March in Muniguda, Demand Release of Five Anti-Mining Activists
Protesters demand immediate release of five anti-mining activists and oppose Vedanta Group’s renewed bauxite mining efforts in Niyamgiri.
Hundreds of residents and activists march through Muniguda, Odisha, demanding the immediate release of five anti-mining activists.
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Bhubaneswar, Odisha : On October 26, 2026, hundreds of Adivasis, Dalits, farmers and leaders of various people’s movements participated in a mass protest march in Muniguda, near Odisha’s Niyamgiri hills, demanding the immediate release of five anti-mining activists and opposing Vedanta Group’s renewed efforts to secure a bauxite mining lease in the region.
Protesters led by Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti submit memorandum to Odisha Chief Minister opposing renewed bauxite mining plans
Organised under the leadership of the Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti, the protest highlighted concerns over the proposed resumption of bauxite mining in Niyamgiri by Vedanta Resources and called for the protection of tribal communities’ rights over their ancestral land, forests and natural resources.
The protesters demanded the immediate release of Lad Sikaka, Lingaraj Azad, Hiramal Naik, LaxmanNaik and Dr. Randall Sequeira, all of whom have played significant roles in people’s movements opposing Vedanta’s proposed bauxite mining project in Tijimali (Sijimali) and other mining projects across Odisha.
Opposition to Renewed Mining Plans in Niyamgiri
The protest comes after Vedanta Resources Chairman Anil Agarwal reportedly expressed his intention to make another attempt to secure a bauxite mining lease in Niyamgiri. The announcement followed reports of his meeting with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in September.
In 2013, the Supreme Court recognised the role of Gram Sabhas in determining whether mining could proceed in Niyamgiri, particularly in relation to the religious, cultural and community rights of the Dongria Kondh tribal people. Subsequently, all 12 Gram Sabhas consulted in the process rejected the proposed mining project.
The protesters argued that any renewed attempt to pursue mining in the region would threaten the rights and livelihoods of thousands of families who depend on the hills, forests and water sources for agriculture and their survival. They also expressed concern over the recent grant of another bauxitemining lease within the Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary area, popularly associated with Khandualmali,to a former government-owned aluminium producer in which Vedanta holds a substantial stake.
The protesters further expressed solidarity with communities resisting proposed bauxite mining projects in Tijimali (Sijimali), Kutrumali, Khandualmali and other parts of southern Odisha.
Arrests of Anti-Mining Leaders Spark Concern
The demand for the immediate release of the five activists was a central focus of the demonstration.
According to the protest organisers, On September 10, 2026, Lada Sikaka, president of the Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti, was forcibly taken by police from his lawyer’s vehicle while returning from the Lanjigarh court after securing bail in a case. They further alleged that neither his family nor his lawyer was informed of his arrest at the time and that no arrest memo was provided.
Lingaraj Azad, national president of the Samajwadi Jana Parishad, is also among those whose release was demanded. According to the protest organisers, more than 10 cases, which they described as false, have been filed against him. Despite securing bail in all but one of these cases, he has reportedly remained in jail for the past seven months.
Hiramal Naik of Majhigaon, a leader of the Maa Mati Mali Suraksha Manch, has been actively strengthening anti-mining movements in villages affected by bauxite mining lease operations in Sijimali and Kutrumali. He has also been mobilising communities against a proposed mining leasein Majhingmali. According to the protest organisers, he was arrested in August in connection withan old case and has been jailed for the second time in approximately one year.
Dr. Randall Sequeira, who has reportedly provided medical and social services to Adivasi and Dalit communities in Odisha and Jharkhand for more than seven years, was taken from his rented accommodation in Bhawanipatna at around 11 pm on October 16. Laxman Naik, known for using folk songs to mobilise villagers against mining projects, was reportedly taken into custody around the same time.
The organisers alleged that formal arrests of the two men were recorded approximately 12 hours after they were taken away. They further stated that Dr. Sequeira verbally complained of mistreatment when produced before a remand magistrate the following evening.
Civil rights groups have reportedly raised concerns over the alleged incidents and called for respect for due process ,fundamental and human rights.
These developments have caused widespread concern not only in Kalahandi and Rayagada districts but also among anti-bauxite-mining movements across the country.
Farmers, Tribal Representatives and People’s Movements Unite
The protest march was preceded by a mobilisation campaign among anti-mining groups in Niyamgiri and Tijimali.
On October 26, more than 1,000 people reportedly gathered at the Munikhol Gram Panchayat office before participating in the protest programme. Residents from the Khandualmali Sthayi Suraksha Samiti area also joined the gathering in solidarity.
Representatives of farmers’ organisations, Adivasi movements and civil society groups travelled from different parts of Odisha, including Bargarh, as well as from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
Speakers at the gathering included Dadi Pusika, Aflatoon Desai, national secretary of the Samajwadi Jana Parishad, farmer leader Lingaraj, environmentalist and Lok Shakti Abhiyan president Prafulla Samantara, and civil rights activist and advocate Narendra Mohanty.
Local organisers Krishna Sikaka, Upendra Dravid and Rajkishore Sunani also played key roles in the protest. Representatives of the All India Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan (AIKMS) and several other people’s movements participated in the mobilisation.
The gathering sought to bring together communities resisting mining projects across Odisha and strengthen coordination among movements concerned about land rights, environmental protection and the livelihoods of rural and tribal populations.
Memorandum Submitted to Chief Minister
The protest march concluded with a public meeting in front of the Muniguda Tehsil office.
The participants condemned the alleged attempts by Vedanta, Adani and other corporate companies to secure mining rights over the region’s land and forests. They reiterated their opposition to renewed bauxite mining in Niyamgiri and expressed solidarity with communities resisting mining projects elsewhere in the state.
A memorandum addressed to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was read out publicly and subsequently handed over to Muniguda Tehsildar M. Anuradha.
The memorandum called for the immediate release of Lada Sikaka, Lingaraj Azad, Hiramal Naik, Laxman Naik and Dr. Randall Sequeira. It also raised concerns over corporate mining proposals and demanded the protection of Adivasi communities’ rights over their ancestral lands and forests.
The protest underscored the growing convergence of tribal rights groups, farmers’ organisations, environmental activists and civil society movements in Odisha, with participants insisting that local communities’ rights and livelihoods must be protected amid renewed mining interests in the region.
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