Place of Incident: Waidhan, Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh Incident: Greenpeace has been working in the Mahan forests where more than 54 villages stand to be affected by the Mahan Coal Mine which a joint venture between the Essar and Hindalco Companies. According to the information received, less than a week ago, the District Collector M. Selvendran promised the Mahan people that he would ensure "a free and fair Gram Sabha in Amelia" and the people and Greenpeace should keep communication lines open with the administration. Ironically in a week's time, and in stark contrast to the proposal to allow the people of Mahan a right to meet, talk and communicate with each other and the local authorities, the state administration went out of its way instead to intimidate, and isolate the people of Mahan. In a shocking case of intimidation, policemen seized all communication equipment and solar panels from the home of a community member in Amelia village. This was needed to keep the community and Greenpeace's team in Amelia connected to each other and the outside world, the solar panels were to ensure light in the evenings for the community as there is absolutely no guaranteed power to these villages. Later that night, the police entered Greenpeace's Waidhan guesthouse on the wee hours of 29th night without any search or arrest warrant and took Akshay Gupta and Rahul Gupta, two Greenpeace activists into custody at this unearthly hour. We have reason to believe that the sections under which they are being detained are section 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), Section 294 (b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), Section 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) and Section 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions). All of these are false and trumped up charges and the activists are being detained under these pretexts. It is also apprehended that the state will further increase such acts of intimidation against members of the community in the run up to the Gram Sabha in Amelia to be held anytime between the 16th and 22nd of August. We also believe that they will restrict the movement of members of Greenpeace as well as community members fighting for their rights in Mahan in the coming days. The manner in which the local administration in Singrauli is cracking down on voices demanding the implementation of the rights of tribal and forest dwelling communities enshrined in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights Act) is highly condemnable. The two activists were granted bail yesterday evening. (31st of July, 2014)