Raju Katikia

Environmental activists and HRD

Jagatsinghpur, Odisha

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on December 23, 2021, regarding the fabricated charges against Mr. Raju Katikia and other environmental activists in reprisal for their opposition to an industrial project in the area.

By the Odisha government, Mahala and Patana under Dhinkia panchayat in Erasama block of Jagatsinghpur district were accorded the status of revenue villages in April 2021 and August 2021 respectively. Local villagers alleged the decision was taken without any consultation with the Dhinkia panchayat and relevant for palli sabhas. Then on November 30, administrative officials undertook demarcation in Patana amidst the presence of 14 platoons of police personnel, where the villagers held a peaceful demonstration beside the local temple. The officials intimidate the protestors and give only a day’s notice regarding demarcation. After it, the demarcation process was held on December 01, at Mahala village but it has stopped as the residents protested by forming a human chain.

The next day, the police falsely registered an FIR based on the complaint of Mr. Surendra Jena who alleged when he and other residents of Mahala accompanied administrative officials during demarcation work in their village, the HRD and others’ warned them not to cooperate with the administration, and threatened to damage Mr. Jena’s betel vines and next day the farm was damaged and machinery and accessories were stolen. A case was registered against Mr. Raju Katikia including 5-7 unnamed others under IPC sections 294, 506, 427, 379, 34.

Though no one has been arrested in the case yet, Mr. Katikia and other HRDs in the area fear they might be detained and arrested. But these actions on the part of police amount to gross abuse of the HRDs' fundamental right to life and personal liberty granted by Article 21 of the Indian Constitution as well as a complete violation of their human rights as guaranteed by national and international laws.