Key Points
Clashes on 7 April 2026 between tribal villagers and police in Odisha’s Rayagada district left around 70 people injured amid protests against a road linked to the Sijimali bauxite mine
Adivasi communities have opposed the project since 2023, citing displacement risks, forged Gram Sabhas consent, environmental damage, and violations of forest rights
The Sijimali hills, holding 311 million tonnes of bauxite, have become the latest flashpoint in Odisha’s long history of mining conflicts, including the Niyamgiri resistance
The Sijimali hills of southern Odisha have emerged as the latest flashpoint in India’s ongoing conflict between mineral extraction and tribal rights, after clashes between Adivasi villagers and police on 7 April 2026 left dozens injured in Rayagada district.
At the centre of the conflict is a proposed bauxite mining project in the Sijimali hills, spread across Rayagada and Kalahandi districts, which tribal communities have opposed since the Odisha government allocated the block to Vedanta Ltd. in 2023. The immediate trigger for the latest violence was the construction of a 3 km access road intended to facilitate mining operations.
The confrontation, arrests, and subsequent political mobilisation have brought renewed attention to the Sijimali project, which has seen protests, allegations of forged consent, arrests of activists, and competing claims between villagers and authorities over the past three years.
On 7 April 2026, clashes broke out in Kantamal and nearby villages in Rayagada district when police attempted to secure construction of an approach road connecting the Sijimali hilltop to State Highway 44.
According to officials, around 58 police personnel and several villagers were injured during the confrontation. Six injured police personnel were shifted to Visakhapatnam for advanced treatment. Police stated that villagers attacked officers with stones, axes and sharp weapons, forcing authorities to use lathi charge and tear gas.
Villagers, however, alleged that police entered the area in the early hours of 7 April, cut electricity supply, and conducted raids on homes of residents opposing the mining project. Activists claimed police stormed houses, damaged property and detained villagers. Videos circulating show officers firing on protesters.
The Rayagada administration had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS on 3 April 2026, restricting assembly near the construction site. Security forces were deployed across the region, and entry of outsiders was restricted following the clashes. Villages around Sijimali hills were reportedly deserted as residents fled amid fears of further violence.
On 8 April 2026, three cases were registered at Kashipur police station for alleged attacks on police personnel. Officials said investigations were ongoing and the situation remained under control.
Following the clashes, protests expanded beyond the affected villages. On 8 April 2026, civil society groups, activists, political leaders and lawyers gathered at Master Canteen Square in Bhubaneswar to protest alleged police excesses.
Protesters accused authorities of acting in favour of corporate interests and demanded cancellation of the mining lease granted to Vedanta. They also called for withdrawal of police forces, revocation of prohibitory orders and release of arrested villagers.
Activists also cited earlier arrests on 11 March 2026, when 21 tribal individuals, including 11 women, one of whom was pregnant, were detained during anti-mining protests in the region.
Political leaders also raised concerns. Former minister and senior BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain criticised the police action and questioned the early morning raids. BJD leader Dr. Sasmit Patra, on 11 April 2026, wrote to Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, seeking “urgent intervention” over indiscriminate police action against protesting tribals.
Protesters argued that Sijimali hills, located in a Fifth Schedule area, should remain under tribal control under constitutional protections and forest rights laws.
The Sijimali bauxite mine is located in the Eastern Ghats across Rayagada and Kalahandi districts. Spread over around 1,500 hectares, the project holds an estimated 311 million tonnes of high-grade bauxite.
Vedanta Ltd. was declared the preferred bidder in February–March 2023 and received a mining lease covering approximately 1,548 hectares, including around 700 hectares of forest land. The company has proposed extracting 9 million tonnes of bauxite annually.
The project is strategically important because of its proximity to Vedanta’s alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, capable of producing 5 million tonnes per year.
Odisha plays a central role in India’s aluminium industry. The state accounts for 41% of India’s bauxite resources and produced around 73% of the country’s bauxite in 2021–22. The state also holds about 17% of India’s total mineral reserves.
Adivasi communities in Sijimali say mining threatens forests, water sources and livelihoods. Residents depend on agriculture, forest produce, and streams originating in the hills. Villagers have also cited religious and cultural significance of the hills – Sijimali is considered sacred by local communities who worship deities associated with the mountains.
Activists and villagers argue that mining could lead to the displacement of hundreds of families across 18 villages, while many more could lose livelihoods. Reports have also raised concerns over environmental impacts, including depletion of water sources, biodiversity loss and increased human-animal conflict.
A key controversy revolves around Gram Sabha approvals claimed by authorities in December 2023. District officials said eight Gram Sabhas gave unanimous consent for the project. However, villagers alleged the meetings were fraudulent and signatures forged.
Investigations found consent documents listing minors, deceased persons and non-residents as participants. In several cases, villagers denied attending any Gram Sabha despite their names appearing in records.
RTI documents showed that all eight Gram Sabhas in Rayagada were held on 8 December 2023 at the same time in the presence of the same officials, raising questions about the process.
Between 30 August and 4 September 2024, villages conducted fresh Gram Sabhas rejecting mining and calling earlier resolutions fraudulent. Petitions were also filed in the Odisha High Court in February 2025 challenging the approvals.
On 2 December 2025, the Forest Advisory Committee recommended Stage-I approval for diversion of around 708 hectares of forest land. Stage-I clearance is conditional and requires compliance with forest rights and environmental requirements before final approval.
Final Stage-II clearance has not yet been granted. The proposed 3 km road also requires forest clearance, which is still pending.
The conflict in Sijimali has seen arrests and legal cases since 2023.
In August 2023, several villagers were arrested during protests. FIRs were filed against dozens of individuals, including activists.
In October 2025, a woman activist, Naring Dei, was arrested and jailed for participating in protests. Activists alleged she was detained in a hospital where she had gone to visit her newborn grandchild.
Reports further suggest repeated arrests, surveillance and police deployment in villages, creating what activists described as an atmosphere of fear. In December 2025, over 125 lawyers across India signed a petition alleging intimidation of villagers and calling for protection of Schedule V lands.
Following the April 2026 clashes, security remains heightened in Rayagada district. Police patrols continue, and restrictions on gatherings remain in force. Despite the crackdown, tribal communities have continued protests, insisting they will not allow mining in the Sijimali hills.
The conflict reflects broader tensions in mineral-rich tribal regions, where development projects often collide with constitutional protections, environmental concerns, and indigenous rights.
The Sijimali conflict follows earlier resistance to mining in Odisha, particularly the Niyamgiri hills. In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that Gram Sabhas must decide on mining in Niyamgiri. All 12 Gram Sabhas rejected the project, halting Vedanta’s mining plans.
Many activists see Sijimali as a continuation of that struggle.
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