‘Kidnapped and released’, Odisha anti-mining activist seeks police investigation

“Yesterday’s incident was a clear case of state terrorism. The state government is working for the interests of the corporate. There has been a breach of my liberty and I had faced mental and physical torture. I need justice,” said Samantara at a press conference at Berhampur.

Samantara, who is the chief of the Lok Shakti Abhiyan, an Odisha-based outfit fighting against illegal mining and human rights violations, said he sent his complaint to the inspector-in-charge of Rayagada police station through the Rayagada SP via speed post and requested the officer to treat it as an FIR.

Samantara said the kidnappers snatched his mobile, tied his hands and covered his face with a towel. They also forcibly pushed him into a car from the hotel room, he said.

“The four persons who picked me up from the hotel room said they had been told to do so. Even though I requested them to remove the towel from my face as I was feeling suffocated, they did not,” said Samantara.

He said his captors later released him at his residence.

Samantara, who played a crucial role in stalling bauxite mining in Niyamgiri hill — inhabited by the Dongria Kondhs, a particularly vulnerable tribal group — has also extended his support to the agitation by local tribal people against bauxite mining in Sijimali and Kutrumali in Kashipur block of Rayagada district.

As a few tribal leaders opposing illegal bauxite mining were arrested, Samantara said he had been to Rayagada to meet the jailed leaders but was kidnapped before the press conference.