Skip to main content
Sabrang
Sabrang
Dalit Bahujan Adivasi

Dhinkia has become a war-zone: Say activists

Human rights activists arrested for over a week have complained of custodial torture by local police

Sabrangindia 21 Jan 2022

Dhinkia has become a war-zone

According to Anti-Jindal & Anti-POSCO Movement Spokesperson Prashant Paikray, Odisha police have created a war-zone in Dhinkia village. Although residents are vigilant, Paikray told Sabrang India that many families are still harassed by police officials demanding the sanctioning of the demolition of betel vine plantations.

By Friday, as many as 19 activists and villagers had been arrested by the police for protesting the illegal demolition of plantations – the local means of livelihood. On January 14, the first 6-7 people including Human Rights Defender Narendra Mohanty, Debendra Swain and Murlidhar Sahu were arrested shortly after the release of a fact-finding report on administrative crackdown. Since then, Swain has reported severe custodial torture in jail. According to Paikray, Swain lost two teeth and has suffered a back injury.

“His mother is going to file an FIR. Mr. Mohanty will hopefully be released after a few months because he does not have as many cases against him. However, police have lodged many charges against Debendra,” he said.

On Friday, around 13 Opposition political party leaders will approach the police to talk about the release of protesters. However, the main concern for villagers remains the police violence and the attempts to hand over their land to the JSW Utkal Steel Limited (JUSL) for development projects.

Villagers claimed the police had taken to rapping on their windows every day, demanding that whoever present sign the agreement to demolish the house and plantation. Most men have gone into hiding fearing arrest, leaving the women to deal with the officials.Although women have stood firm in refusing to sign the document, Paikray said their property is still destroyed. When questioned, the police claim they have the permission of the plantation owners i.e., Dhinkia villagers.

“This is oppression. Over 400 land claims are pending but still Jindal is brought in, and locals are slapped with false charges. They are deliberately causing financial harassment to break the movement, but we are united,” said Paikray.

He further said that all neighbouring villages and their residents are now forced to show their Aadhaar card whenever they want to go outside the region. This has made normal life a distant dream for residents.

Villagers are aware of their forest and constitutional rights and thus stand firm even in the face of lathi-charges. Members of the movement have pointed out that the company does not have an environmental clearance because they do not have the villagers’ permission to build a 13.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) integrated steel plant comprising of a 900 MW captive power plant and a 10 MTPA cement grinding and mixing unit on the land.

Villagers have stated again and again that such projects will destroy their livelihood and even won previous battles based on this stand. Yet, of late, the police have taken to extreme force against Dhinkia folk for asserting their rights.

Related:

Odisha: 3 activists arrested for speaking truth to power in fact-finding report

Dhinkia: A story of perseverance against administrative oppression

End police oppression! FIAN Int. stands with Odisha’s adivasis

Odisha Police beat up Adivasi villagers

Dhinkia has become a war-zone: Say activists

Human rights activists arrested for over a week have complained of custodial torture by local police

Dhinkia has become a war-zone

According to Anti-Jindal & Anti-POSCO Movement Spokesperson Prashant Paikray, Odisha police have created a war-zone in Dhinkia village. Although residents are vigilant, Paikray told Sabrang India that many families are still harassed by police officials demanding the sanctioning of the demolition of betel vine plantations.

By Friday, as many as 19 activists and villagers had been arrested by the police for protesting the illegal demolition of plantations – the local means of livelihood. On January 14, the first 6-7 people including Human Rights Defender Narendra Mohanty, Debendra Swain and Murlidhar Sahu were arrested shortly after the release of a fact-finding report on administrative crackdown. Since then, Swain has reported severe custodial torture in jail. According to Paikray, Swain lost two teeth and has suffered a back injury.

“His mother is going to file an FIR. Mr. Mohanty will hopefully be released after a few months because he does not have as many cases against him. However, police have lodged many charges against Debendra,” he said.

On Friday, around 13 Opposition political party leaders will approach the police to talk about the release of protesters. However, the main concern for villagers remains the police violence and the attempts to hand over their land to the JSW Utkal Steel Limited (JUSL) for development projects.

Villagers claimed the police had taken to rapping on their windows every day, demanding that whoever present sign the agreement to demolish the house and plantation. Most men have gone into hiding fearing arrest, leaving the women to deal with the officials.Although women have stood firm in refusing to sign the document, Paikray said their property is still destroyed. When questioned, the police claim they have the permission of the plantation owners i.e., Dhinkia villagers.

“This is oppression. Over 400 land claims are pending but still Jindal is brought in, and locals are slapped with false charges. They are deliberately causing financial harassment to break the movement, but we are united,” said Paikray.

He further said that all neighbouring villages and their residents are now forced to show their Aadhaar card whenever they want to go outside the region. This has made normal life a distant dream for residents.

Villagers are aware of their forest and constitutional rights and thus stand firm even in the face of lathi-charges. Members of the movement have pointed out that the company does not have an environmental clearance because they do not have the villagers’ permission to build a 13.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) integrated steel plant comprising of a 900 MW captive power plant and a 10 MTPA cement grinding and mixing unit on the land.

Villagers have stated again and again that such projects will destroy their livelihood and even won previous battles based on this stand. Yet, of late, the police have taken to extreme force against Dhinkia folk for asserting their rights.

Related:

Odisha: 3 activists arrested for speaking truth to power in fact-finding report

Dhinkia: A story of perseverance against administrative oppression

End police oppression! FIAN Int. stands with Odisha’s adivasis

Odisha Police beat up Adivasi villagers

Related Articles

Politics

Understanding role of progressives in Telangana Peasant Armed Struggle is crucial to combatting Hindu majoritarianism

As history continues to be weaponised by despotic rulers who want to create their own version of the past, it becomes imperative that we record, document, understand, analyse and propagate a counter-narrative. In pursuance of such endeavour, this article is Part I of the series on the role played by progressive forces in the state of Telangana in people’s movement- famously known as The Telangana Peasant Armed Struggle against the last Nizam of Hyderabad-Mir Osman Ali Khan from 1946 to 1951.

Politics

Understanding role of progressives in Telangana Peasant Armed Struggle is crucial to combatting Hindu majoritarianism

As history continues to be weaponised by despotic rulers who want to create their own version of the past, it becomes imperative that we record, document, understand, analyse and propagate a counter-narrative. In pursuance of such endeavour, this article is Part I of the series on the role played by progressive forces in the state of Telangana in people’s movement- famously known as The Telangana Peasant Armed Struggle against the last Nizam of Hyderabad-Mir Osman Ali Khan from 1946 to 1951.


Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Theme

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Campaigns

Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Videos

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

IN FACT

Analysis

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Archives