Odisha: Family Seeks Release of Mumbai Doctor Held Over Rayagada Violence
While police allege that he instigated tribal people against the government and was involved in criminal acts, his supporters describe him as a healthcare worker who has spent years providing medical assistance to remote tribal communities.
Bhubaneswar: The family of Mumbai-based doctor Randall Sequeira has appealed for his release following his arrest in connection with violence linked to protests against a proposed bauxite mining project in Odisha’s Rayagada district.
Sequeira, 39, was arrested from his residence in Bhawanipatna, neighbouring Kalahandi district, on October 16 and subsequently sent to judicial custody in Rayagada. Police have accused him of involvement in activities that allegedly fuelled tensions surrounding the proposed Sijimali bauxite mining project.
While police allege that he instigated tribal people against the government and was involved in criminal acts, his supporters describe him as a healthcare worker who has spent years providing medical assistance to remote tribal communities.
Sequeira reportedly began working in the region in 2017 after completing his medical education. He has treated patients in inaccessible villages across Kalahandi, Rayagada and Koraput districts, where healthcare facilities remain limited. His work included treating common ailments and distributing medicines, often free of cost.
His supporters have also recalled his assistance to people injured during police action against protesters during the Sijimali agitation in April.
The case against him relates to clashes reported on April 7 in Kantamal village of Rayagada district during protests over the proposed mining project. The case includes charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act. Police have alleged that Sequeira was involved in threatening people supporting the mining project.
His lawyers have questioned the basis of his arrest, arguing that he was not directly named in the first information report relating to the violence. The allegations against him remain subject to judicial proceedings.
The arrest has triggered protests by tribal residents and organisations opposing the proposed mine. Demonstrators have demanded the release of Sequeira and tribal activist Laxman Naik, who was also arrested in connection with the case.
The Sijimali bauxite mining project, awarded to Vedanta in 2023, has become a source of tension between sections of local communities and the authorities. Opponents fear that mining could damage forests, water sources and traditional livelihoods, besides affecting the cultural significance of the hills.
The administration has maintained that action against the accused concerns alleged criminal offences and public-order issues. Activists, however, argue that the arrests could discourage peaceful opposition to mining projects.
