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Protesters opposing the Supreme Court-ordered survey blocked railway tracks and pelted stones at officials, leading to heavy security deployment.
#Watch Rishikesh, Uttarakhand People protesting against the action of the Forest Department blocked the railway track and pelted stones at officials and police personnel. Heavy security was deployed at the spot to disperse the protesting crowd from the railway tracks. (28.11)… pic.twitter.com/xBmRS9Mist
– ANI (@ANI) 29 December 2025
Despite repeated explanations from police and forest department officials, they refused to vacate the highway and railway tracks, following which the situation worsened.
Given the sensitive nature of the case, Senior Superintendent of Police Dehradun Ajay Singh visited the spot late in the night to assess the circumstances and collect data from the officers on duty. After his intervention the protesters were removed and traffic was restored.
Late last night, Singh assessed the situation on the spot and spoke to forest department officials and police. A flag march was also carried out in the Rishikesh-Shyampur area, in which police personnel from Dehradun and other districts were deployed to ensure law and order.
This protest took place after the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the case of alleged illegal occupation of forest land in Uttarakhand. It also slammed state officials for remaining ‘mute spectators’ as large-scale encroachment and illegal acquisition of forest land by private entities happened before their eyes.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the Chief Secretary and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Uttarakhand to constitute an inquiry committee and submit a report.
In an interim order, the court also restrained private entities from alienating or creating third party rights over the subject area. It further ordered that no construction would take place in the concerned area and the Forest Department would take over all the vacant land.
“The facts of this case prima facie show how thousands of acres of forest land has been systematically grabbed by private individuals. What is shocking to us is that the State of Uttarakhand and its officials are sitting as mute spectators when the forest land is being systematically grabbed before their eyes. Consequently, we propose to widen the scope of these proceedings. Notice be issued.”
This area, which was originally leased to private groups such as Pashu Lok Seva Samiti in Rishikesh, has gradually been encroached upon, raising concerns about environmental degradation and irregularities.
The compliance report regarding the lease of 2,866 acres of reserved forest land is expected by January 5, 2026.