NIA Issues Notice to Jharkhand Activist Damodar Turi; CASR Calls for Withdrawal of Charges

The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) has strongly condemned the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) issuance of a notice to anti-displacement activist Damodar Turi in connection with FIR RC-04/2025/HYDERABAD.

The NIA's Hyderabad unit issued the notice recently, according to a statement released by CASR. The case was registered two months ago. The FIR relates to an incident involving the funeral of CPI (Maoist) leader Ramachandra Reddy (also referred to as Katta Ramachandra Reddy or Vikalp), who was killed in an encounter with security forces.

CASR stated that the notice targets Damodar Turi, a long-time activist associated with movements against the displacement of Adivasis and indigenous communities in Jharkhand and other parts of India. He is a founding member of the Visthapan Virodhi Jan Vikas Andolan (VVJVA), a pan-India anti-displacement organization, and has worked alongside figures such as Stan Swamy and BD Sharma on issues of tribal land rights and dispossession due to mining and industrialization.

The statement notes that Damodar Turi has faced multiple FIRs under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the past, along with two arrests and alleged torture by Jharkhand police. He has also undergone repeated NIA interrogations and notices. Currently, he is pursuing a law degree in Dhanbad.

CASR described the current notice as part of broader state actions against dissent related to land acquisition and resource exploitation in indigenous areas. It highlighted that the allegations link to a speech by social activist Innaiah Reddy (also referred to as Gade Innaiah) at the funeral, which authorities claim supported Maoist ideology. CASR asserted that Damodar Turi was not present at the funeral and called the attempt to implicate him baseless and an effort to harass him.

CASR, a coalition of various organizations including AIRSO, AISF, APCR, ASA, BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, and others, expressed solidarity with Damodar Turi and called for an immediate end to his harassment, as well as the withdrawal of all false charges against him. The group stated it would continue to resist efforts to stifle dissent and the militarization of indigenous territories.