On April 7, 2026, hundreds of police personnel stormed Kantamal village.

Speaking to Maktoob, Narendra, an activist who was in touch with the villagers, said that before storming their houses, the police cut off the village's electricity.

"It is a pure form of oppression. After cutting off the electricity, police resorted to tear gas shelling. They then lathi-charged the villagers and made threats to them," he said.

The Rayagada district administration had recently initiated the construction of a 3 km-long road from Porolang to Sagabari Ghati to facilitate access to the mining site allotted to aluminium giant Vedanta Ltd.

On March 1, 2023, Vedanta's proposed bauxite mine at Sijimali, spread across Rayagada and Kalahandi districts, was declared as the preferred bidder and allocated the Sijimali block with estimated reserves of 311 million tonnes of bauxite. Vedanta has proposed mining 9 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of bauxite over 1,548.786 hectares in Sijimali. The mining project is likely to displace hundreds of families from 18 villages and also affect the livelihoods of additional families.

The project has left hundreds of Adivasi and Dalit community members who reside there tense about their future.

While the administration claimed that it had received permission from villagers to begin construction, residents have denied these claims.

Various videos shared by Maktoob show shattered glass and bricks lying on the ground as residents tried to pick up the pieces. It is to be noted that since 2023, residents of Sijimali, Kantamal, and neighbouring villages have been protesting against Vedanta's proposed project.

Hundreds of people have also faced what residents describe as false cases against them and have repeatedly been jailed.

Maktoob had gone on the ground and covered the situation.

An old woman from Kantamal village stood outside her house, parts of which were broken by the police, and said they were unable to understand what was happening.

"I could not see anything and still am having trouble seeing, due to constant tear gas shelling. I cannot see. Early in the morning they locked her door from outside and destroyed house roof partially, especially the back kitchen side," she said.

However, people have refused to leave the land. According to residents, officials also threatened them regarding the road construction, saying it would proceed regardless, as the villagers did not have patta (land documents).

"They can say whatever they want, and even if they do such acts of violence, we will not leave Tijimali," the old woman added.

Due to the proposed project, families from about 18 villages face displacement, while their livelihoods - mostly dependent on farming - will be lost.

Residents of Kantamal, when faced with these threats, clashed with the police, injuring many people, including police personnel. According to reports, more than 50 police personnel were injured.

The situation remains tense, with BNS Section 163 imposed.

However, sources on the ground confirm that the police have, for now, retreated, as many political parties have come forward to show solidarity.

"People are protesting. They have refused to give in. Meanwhile, from BJD to Congress, everyone is visiting the villagers," the activist on the ground added.