Surendra Gadling and Dinkar Gota, two political prisoners incarcerated at Taloja Central Prison in Navi Mumbai, are observing a one-day hunger strike on July 5, 2026, the fifth death anniversary of the Jesuit priest and human rights activist Father Stan Swamy. The editorial introduction below is followed by the full text of the press release by Gadling and Gota on the hunger strike.
EDITORIAL INTRODUCTION
Surendra Gadling is a Nagpur-based human rights lawyer and Dalit rights activist who has spent decades defending Adivasis, Dalits, workers, and political prisoners, often on a pro bono basis. He is widely known for challenging allegations of fake encounters, custodial abuse, and violations of civil liberties. He has been imprisoned since June, 2018 in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case, a prosecution that has become one of India’s most prominent civil liberties cases. Sixteen lawyers, academics, writers, artists, trade unionists, and human rights defenders were arrested in the case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Most have since been granted bail after years of incarceration, while Father Stan Swamy died in judicial custody in 2021. Gadling remains incarcerated in Taloja Central Prison awaiting trial.
Dinkar Gota is an Adivasi activist from Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, who was arrested in March, 2020 under the UAPA in connection with the Gadchiroli blast case of 2019. He has consistently maintained his innocence and is regarded by supporters as one of several Adivasi activists who have been jailed baselessly under anti-terror laws for fighting for the rights of their peoples. He is currently lodged in Taloja Central Prison.
Father Stan Swamy was a Jesuit priest and human rights activist who had dedicated his life to defending the rights of Adivasis, other marginalised communities, and political prisoners. He was arrested in October, 2020 in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case, and died at the age of 84 on July 5, 2021 while in judicial custody.
FULL TEXT OF THE PRESS RELEASE
– Press Release for circulation –
Date: 5 July 2026
Two political prisoners, Advocate Surendra Gadling, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon–Elgar Parishad case, and Dinkar Gota, an accused in the alleged Gadchiroli attack case, lodged in Taloja Central Prison, are observing a one-day hunger strike on 5 July 2026, on the occasion of the fifth death anniversary of Father Stan Swamy.
Father Stan Swamy was a victim of institutional murder because he refused to surrender before those in power and chose to stand firmly for the rights of Adivasis, Dalits, and the marginalized and oppressed masses, until his last breath. He fearlessly raised his voice against injustice, repression, and attacks on democratic rights. This one-day hunger strike is to protest against the institutional repression that led to his death.
Father Stan Swamy’s life and struggle continues to inspire every person fighting for justice, human dignity, and democratic values. This hunger strike is a renewed pledge to ensure that his sacrifice will not go in vain, and the hunger strikers humbly appeal to democrats, human rights defenders, and all justice-seeking citizens to express solidarity in this regard.
Remembering Fr. Stan Swamy: Five Years Since His Custodial Death
08/07/2026
Countercurrents.org / by National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM)
The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) pays its deepest tribute to Fr. Stan Swamy, a steadfast companion of Adivasi struggles, defender of constitutional democracy and people’s rights.
Five years after his institutional killing in judicial custody, his life and death stand as a searing indictment of a State that wages war on those who defend the Constitution, while enabling the systematic dispossession of Adivasi communities in the interests of corporate capital.
Fr. Stan Swamy lived and worked for decades among Adivasi communities in Jharkhand, making their struggles for Jal – Jangal – Zameen, dignity, and self-rule central to his life’s work. Read more
Call for repeal of anti-terror law on Indian Jesuit’s death anniversary
07/07/2026
UCA News / by Michael Gonsalves
Father Stan Swamy died as an undertrial prisoner following his arrest for allegedly violating the anti-terror law
Activists called for the repeal of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the disbandment of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the main federal counterterrorism probe agency, during programs held on July 5.
During a public meeting at the Press Club of India in New Delhi, several activists said the death of Swamy on July 5, 2021, while he was still a prisoner, was a stark reminder of the erosion of constitutional rights and freedoms through the state machinery. Read more
Memorials across India mark 5 years since Jesuit Father Stan Swamy died in custody
07/07/2026
EWTN News / by Anto Akkara
Archbishop Vincent Aind led tributes in Ranchi and activists gathered in Mumbai to honor the priest, as his supporters press on to clear his name in the Bhima Koregaon case.
Memorial programs were held across India on July 5 to mark the fifth anniversary of the death of Jesuit Father Stan Swamy, the 84-year-old tribal rights activist who died in custody at a Mumbai hospital in 2021 while awaiting trial on terrorism charges.
Archbishop Vincent Aind of Ranchi led supporters in garlanding Swamy’s bust at “Bagaicha,” meaning “garden,” the Jesuit social action center Swamy founded near Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand. Read more
Picture credits: CASR / The Mooknayak
“Killed by a Bullet Named NIA”: CASR Meeting Slams Judicial System on Fr. Stan Swamy Anniversary
06/07/2026
The Mooknayak English / by Campaign Against State Repression (CASR)
Human Rights Defenders Remember Fr. Stan Swamy’s Custodial Death
On the fifth martyrdom anniversary of Jesuit priest and human rights defender Fr. Stan Swamy, the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) organised a public meeting in New Delhi. The event, themed “NIA and UAPA: Constitutional Concerns and the Suppression of Dissent”, brought together lawyers, academics, journalists, human rights defenders, and activists to reflect on his legacy and critique the use of draconian laws against democratic voices. Read more
5 Years Since Stan Swamy’s Custodial Death: No Lessons Learnt, Concerns Over UAPA Abuse Persist
05/07/2026
Live Law / by Manu Sebastian
The Courts, unfortunately, look away from the abject weaponisation of the law, and the evocations of personal liberty remain largely confined to judicial seminars.
It has been five years since the death of Father Stan Swamy, while he was under custody in the Bhima Koregaon case. We still don’t know what was the crime committed by the man, except for the hyperbolic allegations of the National Investigation Agency, over which the Courts themselves have later raised many doubts and questions while granting bail to several co-accused in the case. Read more
Picture credits: Live Law
Supreme Court’s Judgment Expanding UAPA To Make Speech ‘Terrorist Act’ Puts Political Dissent At Risk: Rebecca John
05/07/2026
Live Law / by Gursimran Kaur Bakshi
Senior Advocate Rebecca John today raised concern over the Supreme Court’s expansion of the definition of ‘terrorist act’ under Section 15 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to include speech-related offences in the Gulfisha Fatima-Delhi riots larger conspiracy case.
… John was speaking at a public meeting organised to mark the 5th death anniversary of Father Stan Swamy, who died while awaiting bail in the Bhima Koregaon case pending trial for more than six years. Read more
5 Years After Stan Swamy Died in Custody, the Struggles He Lived For Continue
05/07/2026
The Quint / by Grace Nau Backia & Edgar Kaiser
Remembering Fr Stan Swamy means remembering the Adivasi rights movement he spent his life building.
“If this makes me a ‘desh drohi,’ then so be it,” wrote Fr Stan Swamy in his email to his friends on 28 July 2019, when he came to know that he had been accused of the crime of championing the rights of Adivasis in Jharkhand. His legacy transcends time, although his voice, which rang louder against the power, has been brought to a halt.
Five years since his death, we look back at Stan’s life, the legacy he left behind, and where things stand today, with the struggles he devoted his life to. Read more
I raise my voice for Adivasis, am I a Traitor?
04/07/2026
SabrangIndia / by Stan Swamy
This piece authored by Fr Stan Swamy was originally published on Aug 01, 2018. It was then re-published on July 5, 2021 the day of his martyrdom and is now being published on July 4-5, 2026 on the fifth anniversary of his death, in lasting tribute to his work and memory.
Stan Swamy, 1 August 2018: During the past two decades, I have identified myself with the Adivasi people and their struggle for a life of dignity and self-respect. As a writer, I have tried to analyse the different issues they are facing. In this process, I have clearly expressed dissent with several policies, laws enacted by the govt in the light of the Indian Constitution. I have questioned the validity, legality, justness of several steps taken by the govt and the ruling class. Read full statement
St Peter’s Church: standing in solidarity in 2021. Pic credits: Pradip Das / The Indian Express
To a living Saint, now dead five years: Meeting to commemorate July 5
06/07/2026
Sabrangindia / by Sabrangindia
July 5, 2026 marks the fifth anniversary of Father Stan Swamy, who’s death in judicial custody in Maharashtra has been condemned for the institutional murder that it was; the 84 year old activist priest, who died of maltreatment by the prison authorities in Mumbai after suffering from the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic was an activist priest remembered for his path-breaking work among Adivasis in Jharkand
A meeting to commemorate the fifth death anniversary of Father Stan Swamy was held yesterday, Sunday, July 5. Organised by the Bombay Catholic Sabha at the Loyola Hall, it was well attended by close to two hundred Mumbaikars. Invited speakers spoke on the theme “Fr. Stan and his belief in the Constitution” Read more
Five years on, Father Stan Swamy’s legacy remains
06/07/2026
The Times of India / by TOI
Five years after Father Stan Swamy died at a Mumbai hospital while in judicial custody, a memorial for him at a church in Bandra on Sunday saw civil rights activists trace his activism and recall his days in custody.
… Speaking at the meeting, advocate Mihir Desai said that fake police encounters are not only when police fire on an unarmed person, but similar trauma may occur when an old person with fragile health, unlikely to survive prolonged incarceration, gets arrested on allegedly false charges. Read more
Mumbai, 5 July 2026. Picture credits: Free Press Journal
Fr Stan Swamy Remembered On Fifth Death Anniversary, Citizens Renew Pledge To Defend Constitution
05/07/2026
Free Press Journal / by Manoj Ramakrishnan
More than 150 citizens, activists and civil society members gathered in Mumbai to mark the fifth death anniversary of Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist Fr Stan Swamy. Speakers paid tribute to his work for Adivasi rights, social justice and constitutional values, while renewing calls to uphold the Constitution and continue campaigns for civil liberties and justice.
… The public meeting, held under the theme “Fr Stan and his Belief in the Constitution”, was organised jointly by the Bombay Catholic Sabha (BCS), Centre for Study of Society & Secularism (CSSS), Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), Christian Development Association (CDA), Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), Mumbai for Peace and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). Read more
Fr Stan Swamy’s Fifth Death Anniversary To Be Marked In Mumbai With Constitution-Themed Memorial Event
02/07/2026
Free Press Journal / by FPJ News Service
Mumbai’s Bombay Catholic Sabha, along with several civil rights organisations, will hold a programme on July 5 to mark the fifth death anniversary of Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist Fr Stan Swamy. Titled ‘Fr Stan and his Belief in the Constitution’, the event in Bandra will feature advocates, activists and rights groups discussing his legacy and commitment to constitutional values.
The Bombay Catholic Sabha (BCS), along with several civil rights and citizens’ organisations, will organise a programme on Sunday, 5 July, to commemorate the fifth death anniversary of Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist Fr Stan Swamy. Read more
If Stan Swamy, the Martyr, were alive today ….
02/07/2026
Sabrangindia / by Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ
On the fifth anniversary of the tragic death of the People’s Priest, an associate writes that, if alive Fr Stan Swamy would have been at the forefront of all the ongoing struggles of the Adivasis
Exactly five years ago, on 5 July 2021, Jesuit Father Stan Swamy was murdered. He was killed because he refused to kow-tow to a brutal, fascist regime. He was killed because he took a stand for justice and truth! He was killed because he accompanied the Adivasis and the other subalterns for a more dignified, equitable, and humane life! He was killed because he refused to compromise with corrupt, communal, anti-people, anti –constitutional forces! He was killed because he believed in humanity and in the power of ordinary people! What Stan’s murderers never bargained for is that Stan the martyr will never die! Stan was a martyr for justice – he lives in the hearts, souls, and minds of millions today and forever!
Stan Swamy, the Martyr, is no longer around today- but if he were physically present in this world today, what exactly would he be doing?
If Stan Swamy, the Martyr, were alive today, he would be in the midst of the Adivasis. His life would be very simple and frugal. He would eat their food, sing their songs, and dance with them. He would identify with them totally. Yes, of course, he would be angry if others tried to destroy their identity, their culture and customs, their traditions, and their value systems. He would master their language and walk the talk with them. Read more
Indian Jesuit priest Fr Stan Swamy to be remembered at anniversary Mass in London
19/06/2026
By Jesuit Mission UK
Fr Stan Swamy SJ – the late priest who died in an Indian jail in 2021 – will be honoured at a memorial Mass at a London Jesuit parish.
The vigil service at St Anselm’s Church in Southall at 6.30pm on Saturday 4th July will be dedicated to the memory of Fr Stan, whose death anniversary falls the next day. Read more
▪ A Documentary Film on Stan Swamy – A Caged Bird Can Still Sing
hindi / en | 21:40min | 2025 By Karwan e Mohabbat
This short documentary revisits the life and work of Father Stan Swamy, the Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist who spent decades standing with Adivasi communities in Jharkhand. Arrested under draconian anti-terror laws and denied timely medical care, Stan died in custody on 5 July 2021. Through conversations with his friends and colleagues, and using Stan’s own archival footage and recordings, we reflect on his unwavering commitment to justice and begin to understand why he was targeted by the state. This is both a tribute and a reminder of the forces that criminalise dissent and silence those who speak for the most marginalised.
Remembering Stan Swamy (26 April 1937 – 5 July 2021)
The state persecuted Stan Swamy under the UAPA, a punishment that precipitated his death as an undertrial in judicial custody. Stan Swamy was framed, fettered, and finally forced towards a fatal illness under due process of law called the UAPA. The charges levelled reveal the state’s deep prejudice against an upright activist who spent decades in building and empowering Adivasi rights against historic neglect and exploitation. Stan Swamy’s persecution under the UAPA offers an understanding of how many others have been similarly punished by the state for their dissenting politics.
Prior to his incarceration, Stan Swamy’s failing health was well-known, but he was not granted even medical bail let alone regular bail. The NIA and the prison authorities refused to acknowledge the deterioration that he suffered in prison, and they failed to uphold his rights as a prisoner, a right to decent health care and facilities.
▪ I am not a Silent Spectator – Why Truth has become so bitter, Dissent so intolarable, Justice so out of reach – An Autobiographical Fragment, Memory and Reflection
Edition: Aug 2021
Publisher: Indian Social Institute, Bangalore
Language: English
Paperback: 149 pages
‘Why truth has become so bitter, dissent so intolerable, justice so out of reach?’ because truth has become very bitter to those in power and position, dissent, so unpalatable to the ruling elite, justice, so out of reach to the powerless, marginalised, deprived people. Yet, truth must be spoken, right to dissent must be upheld, and justice must reach the doorsteps of the poor. I am not a silent spectator. This booklet is not my autobiography. It is rather a collation of some glimpses/episodes from my life that somehow made a difference for me, and possibly for my confrères, colleagues and the people with whom I have shared my life.
The submissions recommend that prison records must identify every person with disability individually to make reasonable adjustments for them, while respecting their confidentiality.
A Kerala-based activist, whose petition highlighting the traumatic prison days of the late Professor G.N. Saibaba and Stan Swamy led the Supreme Court to form a high-powered committee to free Indian jails from the colonial yoke, suggested bringing in a mechanism to allow disabled prisoners/detainees to self-identify and declare their disabilities. Read more
There are some faces that haunt me. They make me feel sad, angry, and, at times, I want to yell out. They confuse me. They fill me with despair. They prompt me to rebel. They make me feel so helpless. They make me pray. They cause me to reflect and speak up.
Two of them I want to present to you: Stan Swamy and Sanjeev Bhatt. Read more
▪ I am not a Silent Spectator – Why Truth has become so bitter, Dissent so intolarable, Justice so out of reach – An Autobiographical Fragment, Memory and Reflection
Edition: Aug 2021
Publisher: Indian Social Institute, Bangalore
Language: English
Paperback: 149 pages
‘Why truth has become so bitter, dissent so intolerable, justice so out of reach?’ because truth has become very bitter to those in power and position, dissent, so unpalatable to the ruling elite, justice, so out of reach to the powerless, marginalised, deprived people. Yet, truth must be spoken, right to dissent must be upheld, and justice must reach the doorsteps of the poor. I am not a silent spectator. This booklet is not my autobiography. It is rather a collation of some glimpses/episodes from my life that somehow made a difference for me, and possibly for my confrères, colleagues and the people with whom I have shared my life.
Edition: Aug 2021 Publisher: Peoples Union for Democratic Rights, Delhi Language: English
Paperback: 45 pages
Stan Swamy, as this report documents, was framed, fettered, and finally forced towards a fatal illness under due process of law. The report argues that the naturalness of Stan’s death—a cardiac arrest driven by Covid complications—doesn’t exonerate the unnaturalness of the persecution that he suffered under the UAPA. Underlying Stan’s experiences of persecution lie the life-stories of many others, including the 15 accused in the Bhima Koregaon case. Beyond chronicling Stan’s persecution under law, the report documents why Comrade Stan was a dissenter and a true patriot and why the state feared and criminalized his dissent under the UAPA.
Credits: Drawing by Arun Ferreira / The Polis Project
The ‘Natural Death’ Problem in Indian Jails
26/06/2026
The Wire / by Sukanya Shantha
When prisoners die after allegedly being denied timely medical care, are those deaths truly natural? And is it fair that the very people who are accused of not providing timely medical care get to decide this?
… According to the latest NCRB data (for the year 2024), 1,960 persons died in Indian jails. Of these, 1,737 deaths were attributed to “natural causes”. When reading these figures, one must keep in mind cases like those of Basha and Khadar. Unless a judicial magistrate diligently inquires into their deaths, they too will be categorised as ‘natural deaths’ in upcoming NCRB reports. Read more
Our Criminal Justice System Overlooks Victims of Police Torture
26/06/2026
The Wire / by Edgar Kaiser and Grace Anu
The Global Torture Index 2025 classifies India as a country with “high risk” of torture and ill treatment, and the signed UN Convention Against Torture is yet to be ratified.
Today, June 26 is observed as International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
Particularly for human rights defenders, targeted reprisal killed the lives of Fr. Stan Swamy in Bhima Koregaon (BK-16), due to refusal of medical treatment, and Prof. Saibaba, a 90% disabled activist had to face the same fate as his health started deteriorating when he was confined to an ‘anda cell’. These figures are just the tip of the iceberg of a staggering number of survivors and victim families who are systemically denied medical, psychological and social assistance. Read more
By drawing together the life and ideas of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire and Indian human rights activist Stan Swamy, Pon. Chandran’s review of Cultural Action for Freedom revisits one of the most enduring questions in political education: can education become a tool of liberation rather than conformity?
… There is a striking similarity between Freire and Stan Swamy, whose work among Adivasi communities in Jharkhand reflected many principles of liberation pedagogy. Like Freire, Swamy viewed education as a means of empowering marginalised communities to understand and defend their rights. Through legal awareness and constitutional advocacy, he encouraged tribal communities to critically examine the structures responsible for displacement and land dispossession. Read more
▪ I am not a Silent Spectator – Why Truth has become so bitter, Dissent so intolarable, Justice so out of reach – An Autobiographical Fragment, Memory and Reflection
Edition: Aug 2021
Publisher: Indian Social Institute, Bangalore
Language: English
Paperback: 149 pages
‘Why truth has become so bitter, dissent so intolerable, justice so out of reach?’ because truth has become very bitter to those in power and position, dissent, so unpalatable to the ruling elite, justice, so out of reach to the powerless, marginalised, deprived people. Yet, truth must be spoken, right to dissent must be upheld, and justice must reach the doorsteps of the poor. I am not a silent spectator. This booklet is not my autobiography. It is rather a collation of some glimpses/episodes from my life that somehow made a difference for me, and possibly for my confrères, colleagues and the people with whom I have shared my life.
Edition: Aug 2021 Publisher: Peoples Union for Democratic Rights, Delhi Language: English
Paperback: 45 pages
Stan Swamy, as this report documents, was framed, fettered, and finally forced towards a fatal illness under due process of law. The report argues that the naturalness of Stan’s death—a cardiac arrest driven by Covid complications—doesn’t exonerate the unnaturalness of the persecution that he suffered under the UAPA. Underlying Stan’s experiences of persecution lie the life-stories of many others, including the 15 accused in the Bhima Koregaon case. Beyond chronicling Stan’s persecution under law, the report documents why Comrade Stan was a dissenter and a true patriot and why the state feared and criminalized his dissent under the UAPA.
Remembering Stan Swamy: Justice, Adivasi Rights, and the Politics of Criminalisation
27/04/2026
Countercurrents.org / by Dr Suresh Khairnar
The special constitutional protections granted to Adivasis under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules are steadily being eroded. The death of Stan Swamy stands as a stark reminder of this trajectory, raising serious concerns about the treatment of those who defend these rights.
In the Bhima Koregaon case, in which the NIA arrested him in October 2020, Stan Swamy had never visited Bhima Koregaon. There is no credible basis for linking him to the Elgaar Parishad. The Parishad itself was a coalition of more than 200 social organisations from Maharashtra, formed solely to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon Victory Day on 1 January 2018. I was personally associated with it as president of the Rashtra Seva Dal. Read more
Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha / @JharkhandJanad1 (Apr 25):
Today Mahasabha and Bagaicha, as part of two day Stan Swamy anniversary, organised discussions with activists and political reps and a press con on SIR and the worsening of electoral systems. @parakala was the main speaker. We also released a pamphlet for mass dissemination.
▪ I am not a Silent Spectator – Why Truth has become so bitter, Dissent so intolarable, Justice so out of reach – An Autobiographical Fragment, Memory and Reflection (Indian Social Institute / Aug 2021)
Edition: Aug 2021
Publisher: Indian Social Institute, Bangalore
Language: English
Paperback: 149 pages
‘Why truth has become so bitter, dissent so intolerable, justice so out of reach?’ because truth has become very bitter to those in power and position, dissent, so unpalatable to the ruling elite, justice, so out of reach to the powerless, marginalised, deprived people. Yet, truth must be spoken, right to dissent must be upheld, and justice must reach the doorsteps of the poor. I am not a silent spectator. This booklet is not my autobiography. It is rather a collation of some glimpses/episodes from my life that somehow made a difference for me, and possibly for my confrères, colleagues and the people with whom I have shared my life.
As the government claims victory over the CPI (Maoist), a more consequential defeat is being obscured: the collapse of constitutional accountability and the normalisation of impunity.
…
Among the many ironies of this confused and legally directionless ‘end of Naxalism’, is the fate of those arrested on charges of being Maoist sympathisers. At one end, we have the human rights lawyer Surendra Gadling who has been in jail since 2018, along with the rest of the BK 16 who are out on bail but still suffer from a protracted trial despite ample proof that police ‘evidence’ was fabricated. At the other end, the youth leaders of the Moolvasi Bachao Manch in Bastar, like Raghu Midiyami, Suneeta Pottam and others, have been jailed for over two years under UAPA, along with some other 40 activists at different times. Even simple rights like an operation to fix Raghu Midiyami’s broken finger are being resisted by the NIA. The MBM waged an entirely constitutional struggle, invoking the 5th Schedule of the Constitution and PESA to defend their lands. Evidently a peaceful movement of locals, in the face of an intensified mining push, is now a greater threat to the national security state than even the Maoists.
Hundreds of other innocent Adivasis continue to languish in jail, going through the tortuous legal system. Stan Swamy was targeted because his PIL in the Jharkhand High Court, based on interviews with 102 undertrials, showed that 97% of those arrested on charges of being Maoist actually had no relation to them. Read more
On July 5, 2021, Father Stanislaus Lourduswamy — an 83-year-old Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist — died in pre-trial custody in Mumbai, India.
Frail from Parkinson’s disease and a COVID-19 infection, he had spent nine months behind bars under India’s anti-terror laws, denied bail despite his deteriorating health. His alleged crime was implausible: authorities accused him of sedition and links to Maoist insurgents — charges widely derided as baseless. To many, his imprisonment and death became a symbol of a constitutional democracy being quietly hollowed out. Read more
Countercurrents.org / by Campaign Against State Repression (CASR)
The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) strongly condemns the recent actions of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Hyderabad, which has issued a notice to Damodar Turi, a long-time anti-displacement activist, in connection with FIR RC-04/2025/HYDERABAD. This case, initiated two months ago, is yet another example of the state’s ongoing harassment of individuals who challenge the exploitation and marginalization of indigenous communities, particularly those resisting displacement due to mining and industrialization.
Damodar Turi, a dedicated activist for over three decades, has been at the forefront of movements against the forced displacement of Adivasis and indigenous communities in Jharkhand and across India. As a founding member of the Visthapan Virodhi Jan Vikas Andolan (VVJVA), a pan-India anti-displacement organization, Damodar Turi has worked alongside other prominent human rights advocates, including Stan Swamy and B.D. Sharma, to raise awareness about the systematic dispossession of tribal people from their land in the name of development. Read full statement
