Disappearance of environmentalist "suggests" police role against anti-Sterlite protestors

Counterview Desk
In a letter to Tamil Nadu chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, eminent citizens have expressed serious concern over the mysterious disappearance of environmental and human rights defender S Mugilan of Tamil Nadu, saying, he is "a target of attack by the state apparatus."
An articulate and outspoken activist advocating against sand mining, the dangers of nuclear power and industrial pollution, the letter says, Muligan's "abrupt disappearance and the silence of the Government of Tamil Nadu raise grave concerns about the state of civil liberties and human rights in Tamil Nadu, a state with a civil administration that once prided itself in being a cut above the rest."
The letter has been endorsed, among others, by Justice D Hariparanthaman, (Retd), Madras High Court, Chennai; Yogendra Yadav, President, Swaraj Party; Prashant Bhushan, Supreme Court advocate; MG Devasahayam, IAS (Retd); Fatima, Anti Sterlite People's Movement, Thoothukudi; Kalpana Kannabiran, Council for Social Development, Hyderabad; R. Vaigai, Advocate, Chennai; Henri Tiphagne, People's Watch, Madurai; Maj Gen SG Vombatkere (Retd); Claude Alvares, Goa Foundation; K Kalpana, Academic, Chennai; and Medha Patkar, National Alliance of People's Movements.
Copies of the letter have been sent to Niranjan Mardy, additional chief secretary, home; Vijay Kumar, ADGP (Law & Order); C Sridhar, IGP (North Zone); Dr AK Viswanathan, commissioner, Chennai City Police; and superintendents of police, Kanchipuram and Villupuram, among others.

Text of the letter:

We are writing to you to ensure the safe return of Mugilan, an environmental rights activist who went missing at around midnight on 15 February. His disappearance barely half-a-day after highlighting the alleged role of senior police officers in the killings of 14 persons in a police action against anti-Sterlite protestors in Thoothukudi last May is deeply disturbing.
Mugilan has been an articulate and outspoken activist advocating against sand mining, the dangers of nuclear power and industrial pollution.
His abrupt disappearance and the silence of the Government of Tamil Nadu raise grave concerns about the state of civil liberties and human rights in Tamil Nadu, a state with a civil administration that once prided itself in being a cut above the rest.
We, express our deep concern and anxiety over Mugilan's safety, and urge the Government of Tamil Nadu and the state Police to ensure his safe return to his family.
Background
Mugilan addressed a press meet in Chennai on February 15, 2019 at around 11.30 AM regarding claims by the state that the killing of 14 persons by police firing on May 22, 2018, during an anti-Sterlite protest in Thoothukudi was prompted by arson and rioting by a section of the protestors.
During the press meet he released a report and video titled 'Sterlite: Hidden Truth', which presented publicly available CCTV and TV footage to highlight how the the police acting in collusion with the management of Sterlite Copper orchestrated the violence that was then used as an excuse to fire and kill protestors.
Mugilan also named senior police officers implicating them in the events that led to the violence and killings.
He was last seen by a few of his friends at Egmore Railway Station in Chennai.
This is not the first time that Mugilan has been a target of attack by the State apparatus. He, along with numerous others, have been falsely accused and accused in several cases of sedition for their role in the non-violent civil disobedience struggle against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tirunelveli.
In 2012 when the protests against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant was at its peak, he was similarly abducted by the police on his way back from his home town and illegally detained for three days before being remanded to judicial custody in response to civil society pressure.
As we stand on the brink of climate catastrophe, people such as Mugilan who are advocating against environmentally degrading projects should be seen as voices of reason and wisdom, rather than as criminals. We urge the Government of Tamil Nadu to work in all seriousness to locate Mugilan and return him to his family.

Comments

NYT: RSS 'infiltrates' institutions, 'drives' religious divide under Modi's leadership

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive New York Times investigation published on December 26, 2025, chronicles the rise of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — characterized as a far-right Hindu nationalist organization — from a shadowy group founded in 1925 to the world's largest right-wing force, marking its centenary in 2025 with unprecedented influence and mainstream acceptance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi , who joined the RSS as a young boy and later became a full-time campaigner before being deputized to its political wing in the 1980s, delivered his strongest public tribute to the group in his August 2025 Independence Day address. Speaking from the Red Fort , he called the RSS a "giant river" with dozens of streams touching every aspect of Indian life, praising its "service, dedication, organization, and unmatched discipline." The report describes how the RSS has deeply infiltrated India's institutions — government, courts, police, media, and academia — ...

From colonial mercantilism to Hindutva: New book on the making of power in Gujarat

By Rajiv Shah Professor Ghanshyam Shah ’s latest book, “ Caste-Class Hegemony and State Power: A Study of Gujarat Politics ”, published by Routledge , is penned by one of Gujarat ’s most respected chroniclers, drawing on decades of fieldwork in the state. It seeks to dissect how caste and class factors overlap to perpetuate the hegemony of upper strata in an ostensibly democratic polity. The book probes the dominance of two main political parties in Gujarat—the Indian National Congress and the BJP—arguing that both have sustained capitalist growth while reinforcing Brahmanic hierarchies.

Domestic vote-bank politics 'behind official solidarity' with Bangladeshi Hindus

By Sandeep Pandey, Faisal Khan The Indian government has registered a protest with Bangladesh over the mob lynching of two Hindus—Deepu Chandra Das in Mymensingh and Amrit Mandal in Rajbari. In its communication, the government cited a report by the Association of Hindus, Buddhists and Christian Unity Council, which claims that more than 2,900 incidents of killings, arson, and land encroachments targeting minorities have taken place since the interim government assumed power in Bangladesh.

ArcelorMittal faces global scrutiny for retreat from green steel, job cuts, and environmental violations

By Jag Jivan ArcelorMittal is facing mounting criticism after cancelling or delaying nearly all of its major green steel projects across Europe, citing an “unsupportive policy environment” from the European Union . The company has shelved projects in Germany , Belgium , and France , while leaving the future of its Spanish decarbonisation plan uncertain. The decision comes as global unions warn that more than 5,500 jobs are at risk across its operations, including 4,000 in South Africa , 1,400 in Europe, and 160 in Canada .

Dalit woman student’s death sparks allegations of institutional neglect in Himachal college

By A Representative A Dalit rights organisation has alleged severe caste- and gender-based institutional violence leading to the death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman student at Government Degree College, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, and has demanded arrests, resignations, and an independent inquiry into the case.

2025 was not just a bad year—it was a moral failure, it normalised crisis

By Atanu Roy* The clock has struck midnight. 2025 has passed, and 2026 has arrived. Firecrackers were already bursting in celebration. If this is merely a ritual, like Deepavali, there is little to comment on. Otherwise, I find 2025 to have been a dismal year, weighed down by relentless odds—perhaps the worst year I have personally witnessed.

Gig workers’ strike halts platforms, union submits demands to Labour Ministry

By A Representative India’s gig economy witnessed an partial disruption on December 31, 2025, as a large number of delivery workers, app-based service providers, and freelancers across the country participated in a nationwide strike called by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU). The strike, which followed days of coordinated protests, shut down major platforms including Zomato , Swiggy , Blinkit , Zepto , Flipkart , and BigBasket in several areas.

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

The instrument of oppression and liberation: A new look at the flute in Hindi poetry

By Ravi Ranjan* The intellectual revolution brought about by structuralism in the mid-twentieth century fundamentally altered the way scholars approached literature, language, anthropology, and culture. At its core lay the conviction that all human expressions—whether linguistic, mythic, or literary—are organized by deep, underlying structures that reflect universal patterns of the human mind.

Search This Blog