Doctor Arrested in Odisha Amid Anti‑Mining Protests

Doctor Randall Sequeira, who has been treating tribal communities in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, was taken into judicial custody on Oct 16 on charges ranging from attempt to murder to rioting and possession of arms.

What Happened

Sequeira, 39, was arrested from his Bhawanipatna house around 11 pm together with fellow activist Laxman Naik. Kalahandi police handed them to Rayagada police, and they are now held in the Rayagada sub‑jail. The police say the arrests follow a violent clash in April over an approach road to the Sijimali bauxite reserve, although Sequeira’s name does not appear in the FIR. Inspector General Akhileshvar Singh told The Indian Express that several serious cases are pending against Sequeira and that two tribal women have complained that he instigated false allegations against the state.

Reaction

Dr Dewal Sawarkar, who worked with Sequeira, said he went beyond prescribing medicines, holding camps for pregnant mothers and malnourished children and teaching villagers to manage their own health. Senior doctor Cyriac Abby Philips posted that Sequeira and Naik were held overnight without a warrant, calling the detention part of a wider crackdown that has jailed more than a hundred Adivasi and Dalit activists. Goldman‑prize activist Prafulla Samantara questioned whether a doctor can be criminalised for supporting tribal rights.

Context

The protests target two high‑grade bauxite blocks – Sijimali (1,500 ha, 311 million tonnes) and Kutrumali (702 ha, 127.737 million tonnes) – awarded to Vedanta and Adani‑linked Kalinga Alumina. Tribals fear mining will destroy their livelihood, ecology and expose them to corporate‑driven infrastructure projects.