Arrest and detention of four indigenous human rights defenders in Bastar District, Chhattisgarh
On 9 December 2023, Chhattisgarh police arrested four human rights defenders: Lakhma Koram, Ranu Podyam, Shankar Kashyap, and Samlu Koram. The arrests were due to their peaceful campaigns against human rights violations, militarization, and the forcible acquisition of land for corporate interests in Bastar District, Chhattisgarh. Since then, the human rights defenders have been detained in Jagdalpur Jail in Chhattisgarh.
Lakhma Koram, Ranu Podyam, Shankar Kashyap, and Samlu Koram have been vocal advocates against forcible land acquisition and the negative impact of large-scale mining companies on the land, environment, livelihoods, and housing rights of affected indigenous communities. They are associated with two peaceful protest movements: Morohnar Jan Andolan and Orcha Jan Andolan, which have been resisting iron ore mining, the construction of paramilitary camps in the region, and are advocating for the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 and the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act 1996, which require public consultation with the local community before approving mining projects on Adivasi lands.
On 9 December 2023, Chhattisgarh police arrested four human rights defenders: Lakhma Koram, Ranu Podyam, Shankar Kashyap, and Samlu Koram. The arrests were due to their peaceful campaigns against human rights violations, militarization, and the forcible acquisition of land for corporate interests in Bastar District, Chhattisgarh. Since then, the human rights defenders have been detained in Jagdalpur Jail in Chhattisgarh.
Lakhma Koram, Ranu Podyam, Shankar Kashyap, and Samlu Koram have been vocal advocates against forcible land acquisition and the negative impact of large-scale mining companies on the land, environment, livelihoods, and housing rights of affected indigenous communities. They are associated with two peaceful protest movements: Morohnar Jan Andolan and Orcha Jan Andolan, which have been resisting iron ore mining, the construction of paramilitary camps in the region, and are advocating for the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 and the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act 1996, which require public consultation with the local community before approving mining projects on Adivasi lands.
On 9 December 2023, human rights defenders Lakhma Koram and Ranu Podyam were arrested by police while traveling to the Orcha Jan Andolan protest site. About an hour later, on the same day, Shankar Kashyap and Samlu Koram were arrested and falsely accused of having links to banned Maoist groups. The human rights defenders have been denied bail and are currently held at Jagdalpur Jail in Chhattisgarh.
The arrest of the four human rights defenders follows a pattern of escalating violations by security forces in Chhattisgarh against local communities and human rights defenders. On 24 November 2023, the Orcha Jan Andolan protest site was destroyed by officers from the District Reserve Guard. There are also reports of arrests, killings, and violence against community leaders, peaceful protesters, and human rights defenders, with impunity.
Front Line Defenders strongly condemns the arrests of the four indigenous human rights defenders—Lakhma Koram, Ranu Podyam, Shankar Kashyap, and Samlu Koram—and urges authorities in India to ensure their immediate release and to drop the criminal proceedings against them.
