Bhubaneswar: Renowned environmental activist Medha Patkar was reportedly detained by police on Thursday before she could participate in a public meeting scheduled at Hatpada under Kashipur block of Rayagada district.
The event, organised to mark World Environment Day, aimed to raise voices against proposed mining activities at the Sijimali mines.
According to reports, the meeting was intended as a platform for local communities and activists to express their opposition to bauxite mining in the region. Patkar, a prominent figure in India’s grassroots environmental and social justice movements, was expected to address the gathering and extend her support to the resistance.
However, before reaching the venue, Patkar was reportedly stopped by police at the railway station and prevented from proceeding further.
“When I got off the train, police stopped me at the station. I sat there and they asked me to wait in the VIP lounge, but I refused. I was supposed to go to the house of the person who came to receive me and then attend the program. But the police did not allow it. The police showed me an order from the Collector listing 20 to 25 names of people who were barred from entering Rayagada district. They accused me of coming here to ‘instigate’ people. This is the situation,” she said via phone to a local news channel.
