Maharashtra Police arrest 8 anti-mining Adivasi leaders, lathi charge protestors, destroy huts: Report

These agitations have been in opposition to six proposed iron mines owned by companies such as Jindal Steel and Lloyd Steel, which were planned to be established in the Surajgarh hills of Gadchiroli district.

The Maharashtra Police, on November 20 arrested eight prominent Adivasi leaders who were involved in an anti-mining agitation that had been ongoing for 250 days.

This agitation was in opposition to six proposed iron mines owned by companies such as Jindal Steel and Lloyd Steel, which were planned to be established in the Surajgarh hills of Gadchiroli district.

The protest had garnered support from approximately 1,000 residents from over 70 Adivasi villages surrounding the area since March 2023.

According to Lalsu Nogoti, an advocate and leader of the Damkondawahi Bachao Andolan, police forces arrived at the main protest site in Todgatta on the morning of November 20.

They then proceeded to apprehend all the protest leaders and important activists, including Pradip Khedo and Mangesh Naroti, and transported them via helicopter to prevent any potential blockades of police vehicles during the arrests, Nogoti told Down to Earth.

The other arrested leaders are Mahadu Kawdo, Sai Kawdo, Gillu Kawdo, Laxman Jetti, Ganesh Korea, Nikesh Naroti and Dulsa Kawashi.

Besides the eight leaders, around 25 protesters were taken away in the trucks.

Nogoti also alleged that the police conducted searches and destroyed the huts of the protesting villagers, as well as resorted to lathi charge in the afternoon. He expressed concern over the absence of female police officers during the operation and emphasized that the Damkondawahi Bachao Andolan had maintained a peaceful approach throughout the 250-day protest.

Nogoti further claimed that police had been monitoring the activities of the village using drone cameras for the past few days before making the arrests. He criticized the lack of support from politicians, stating that very few government officials had visited the protest site to understand the concerns of the villagers. Currently, the village is heavily surrounded by a police force, and additional leaders are being sought out for questioning.

The Gadchiroli police in a statement said a police station at Wangeturi on Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border in Etapalli taluka here was proposed to be inaugurated on Monday. When police parties from Gatta along with C-60 teams, a special anti-Maoist commando force of Maharashtra, were going towards Wangeturi through Todgatta, the agitators stopped them from going ahead, the release said. Some 10-15 people pushed the police parties, it said.

As a result, the police detained eight individuals who had pushed the police parties, but they claim that no force was used during the incident.

(With PTI inputs)