Protest turns violent in Rishikesh opposing Forest Dept's survey

Protest in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, turned violent on Monday as locals opposed the Forest Department's survey of 2,866 acres of government forest land leased to private individuals, as per Supreme Court orders. The protesters blocked railway tracks and pelted stones at officials and police, prompting heavy security deployment. Despite repeated persuasion by the police and the Forest Department, the protesters did not clear the highway or the railway track. Given the sensitivity of the matter, the Senior Superintendent of Police visited the site late at night, reviewed the situation, and gathered information from the on-duty officers.

Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh intervened, and traffic was restored after protesters were removed. Late last night, Senior Superintendent of Police Dehradun, Ajay Singh, took stock of the situation on the spot and held discussions with officials of the Forest Department and the police. A flag march was conducted in the Rishikesh-Shyampur area with police forces mobilised from Dehradun district and neighbouring districts to maintain law and order. This comes after the Supreme Court of India took suo motu cognisance of the alleged illegal grabbing of approximately 2,866 acres of forest land in Uttarakhand, criticising state authorities for being "silent spectators". The land, initially leased to private entities such as the Pashu Lok Seva Samiti near Rishikesh, has been systematically encroached upon, raising concerns about environmental degradation and irregularities.

The Supreme Court has ordered an immediate inquiry, a freeze on land transactions, and the Forest Department to take possession of vacant land. Key directives include the formation of a committee by top state officials to investigate the matter; a prohibition on selling, encumbering, or creating third-party rights on the disputed land; a ban on construction on the disputed land; and the Forest Department taking possession of all vacant disputed land. A compliance report is due by January 5, 2026.