Thirty-year-old Kartik Naik, a vocal and committed leader of the struggle against Vedanta’s bauxite mining in South Odisha, was picked up by the Kashipur police on 19 September, 2024 around 11.30 am as he left the bank. He was whisked off to the Kashipur JMFC court after a brief halt at the Kashipur police station. After a few hours, he was then held in the Raygada subjail.

On the same day, over a thousand villagers, from the Sijimali region, marched to the police station to demand his release. They staged a protest till late evening. The administration and police had a tough time quelling their rage and sense of injustice. They eventually agreed to release Kartik Naik, and also promised that no more false and fabricated charges would be foisted on the people of Sijimali. However, it came to light that yet another report was lodged against 200 villagers by the police and administration that night itself, allegedly for the havoc the villagers created at the police station. And, Kartik remains in jail.

Speaking from the jail, Kartik Naik has expressed concern for his people. He has said he is prepared to face jail or even sacrifice his life to protect the mountains and the forests from mining, He has urged people to continue the anti-mining struggle in the region through ahimsa and peaceful means. Kartik has said that since the people are struggling for rights enshrined in the Constitution, the struggle will continue as long as the Constitution remains.