About the Human Rights Defenders: Maliparbat Suraksha Samithi (MSS) is a community NGO which is working against the illegal mining operations in Maliparbat hills. • Mr. Dasa Kora, aged about 50 years, senior community Leader Bhitarkota village, Maliparbat hills is the vice president of MSS. • Mr. Abhi Sadapelli, aged about 42 years, from Kankadamba village, Maliparbat hills is the Secretary of MSS.

Background: Bauxite mining lease in the Maliparbat hills has been granted to the Hindalco group. Then it was sub leased to Maitri infrastructure and mining India Pvt Ltd. The lease was allotted without the permission of Gram Sabha as per forest rights act, 2006 and the public hearing for the environmental clearance has not been done. Hence, HRDs allege that in order to get environmental clearance through public hearing, Maitri infrastructure and mining India Pvt Ltd is trying to allure the tribals in Maliparbat hills with the promise of money. Details of the Incident: On August 23, 2023, at around 07.00 PM Chhattisgarh police abducted the EHRD Abhi Sadapelli from Kankadamba village and at around 08.45 PM, they abducted Dasa Kora from Bhitarkota Village without any arrest procedures. According to the HRDs, after being picked up they were taken to a big house where they were chained, kicked, and subjected to torture for 3 days by the police officials. According to the EHRDs the place of detention remains unknown and the police officials interrogated them in Hindi and the tribals could not understand. They were not given food for one day and beaten by the police. Later they were released by the police on August 26, 2023 at the border of the Chhattisgarh without any FIR or any legal procedures of arrest or detention.