Skip to main content

NIA notice to anti-displacement activist draws protest from civil society coalition

By A Representative 
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Hyderabad has issued a notice to anti-displacement activist Damodar Turi in connection with FIR RC-04/2025/HYDERABAD, prompting criticism from the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), a coalition of civil society organisations.
In a press statement issued on Saturday, CASR alleged that the notice forms part of a broader pattern of action against activists working on land rights and Adivasi issues. The case relates to an incident linked to the funeral of CPI (Maoist) leader Ramachandra Reddy. According to the statement, authorities have claimed that a speech delivered at the funeral supported Maoist ideology. CASR has described the allegations as “baseless” and politically motivated.
CASR stated that Turi was not present at the funeral and termed the issuance of the notice an attempt to harass and intimidate him. 
Damodar Turi has been associated with anti-displacement movements for over three decades, particularly in Jharkhand. He is a founding member of the Visthapan Virodhi Jan Vikas Andolan (VVJVA), a platform working on issues related to land acquisition and the rights of indigenous communities. Over the years, he has faced multiple cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and has previously been arrested.
The coalition further stated that Turi is currently pursuing a law degree in Dhanbad. It called for the withdrawal of what it described as false charges and urged authorities to end what it termed the criminalisation of activists.
The NIA registered FIR RC-04/2025/HYDERABAD two months ago. Further details of the investigation have not been made public.
CASR comprises several student, labour, and rights-based groups across the country.

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

The making of a self-made woman: How eighty sheep changed everything for Kalawati Ninama

By Vikas Meshram*  About forty-two kilometres from Rajasthan's Banswara district, in the tribal heartland of Ghatol block, lies the small village of Ubapana. This is where Kalawati Ninama, her husband Dhulji, and their four children make their home. Their days unfold much like those of their neighbours—bustling mornings, long hours of farm labour through the afternoon, and evenings spent tending livestock. For this family, farming and livestock were once simply a means of putting food on the table. Today, they have become the sturdy foundation of something far greater: genuine self-sufficiency.
Post a Comment
»

India has spent billions on skilling. Where are the jobs?

By Vikas Gupta   India loves the photograph of a certificate ceremony. A minister on a stage. A banner bearing the word “skill.” Young people holding folders that promise a future. It is a reassuring image because it tells us the problem has a manageable answer: train the young, make them job-ready, and work will follow.
Post a Comment
»

BAPS, the Eiffel Tower and the curious silence on secularism

By Rajiv Shah   I was a little surprised to see how some of those whom I respect for taking a firm stand on patriarchal issues reacted to the manner in which they responded to the recent incident in Paris, in which women employees of the Eiffel Tower were asked to remain "invisible" on September 5 when 100 BAPS sadhus visited one of the world's top tourist destinations.
3 comments
»