Guwahati: The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) has condemned the arrest of Randall Sequeira, a doctor known for providing healthcare to people in Odisha’s Kalahandi and Rayagada districts, and Laxman Nayak, an activist associated with the Maa Mati Mali Surakhya Manch.
According to a statement issued by CASR, the two were taken into custody by Bhawanipatna Town Police at around 11 pm on October 16, 2026. The organisation alleged that they were neither served arrest memos nor informed of the reasons for their detention at the time of their arrest.
They were subsequently produced before a court in connection with Kashipur Police Station Case No. 85/2026. After their bail applications were rejected, both were sent to Rayagada Sub-Jail, the statement said.
The case reportedly relates to protests held in Kantamal on April 6 and 7, 2026. CASR alleged that police resorted to a lathi-charge and tear gas during the protests and raised concerns over the use of criminal cases against activists involved in people’s movements.
The organisation also linked the arrests to the continued incarceration of Lada Sikaka, president of the Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti, and Lingaraj Azad, an adviser to the Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti and the Maa Mati Mali Surakhya Manch.
According to CASR, the detention of several activists associated with movements defending Adivasi land and natural resources points to a wider pattern of criminalising resistance to displacement and resource exploitation in Odisha.
CASR Raises Concerns Over Nationwide Crackdown on Activists
The organisation said similar concerns extend beyond Odisha, alleging that communities opposing mining projects, mega-dams, corporate land acquisition, forced displacement and forest destruction face police action, criminal cases and prolonged incarceration across India.
It cited resistance to the proposed Siang mega-dam in Arunachal Pradesh and opposition to a proposed hotel project in Assam’s Kaziranga, alongside movements in Madhya Pradesh and other Adivasi-dominated mineral-rich regions.
CASR further alleged that laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the National Security Act (NSA), along with other criminal provisions, are being used to intimidate activists and weaken movements opposing displacement and environmental destruction.
The organisation maintained that defending ancestral land, forests, water resources and livelihoods is a democratic right and should not be treated as a threat to national security.
CASR Demands Release of Activists, Probe into Kantamal Incident
CASR has demanded the immediate release of Randall Sequeira and Laxman Nayak and the withdrawal of what it described as a fabricated case against them. It has also called for the release of Lada Sikaka, Lingaraj Azad and other political prisoners and activists detained for defending people’s rights.
The organisation has sought an independent investigation into the alleged police violence during the Kantamal protests on April 6 and 7, 2026, and accountability for those found responsible.
Its other demands include an end to the criminalisation of anti-displacement movements, the alleged misuse of stringent laws such as the UAPA and NSA against activists and human rights defenders, and greater respect for the rights of Adivasi and Indigenous communities.
CASR said the arrests and imprisonment of activists would not silence movements seeking justice, dignity and the right of communities to determine their future. It reiterated its support for struggles to protect land, livelihoods and natural resources across India.