Violent clashes broke out on the outskirts of Rishikesh on Sunday as authorities conducted a survey of encroachments on protected forest land, acting on the orders of the Supreme Court. Protesters turned aggressive, pelting stones at police personnel and blocking crucial railway tracks and roads connecting to Rishikesh and Dehradun.
Police Force Injured in Stone-Pelting Incident
The situation escalated quickly when the demonstrators, who had blocked the routes, suddenly turned violent upon being asked to clear them. Four police personnel sustained injuries in the stone-pelting attack. In response, the police used necessary force to disperse the crowd and managed to detain several protesters. Senior officials rushed to the spot to take control of the volatile situation.
Massive Disruption to Rail and Road Networks
The protest actions caused significant disruption to transportation in the region. Both road and rail traffic came to a standstill. Operations of four major trains – the Shri Ganga Nagar Express, Hemkund Express, and Yoga Express – were severely affected, leaving numerous passengers stranded and facing immense hardship. Frustrated by the long delays, aggrieved passengers staged a protest outside the station superintendent's office at Haridwar railway station. Normal traffic flow on both rail and road networks was restored only by late evening on Sunday.
Supreme Court's Directives Trigger Action
The survey that sparked the unrest was being carried out over the past three days in areas including Shivaji Nagar, Bapu Gram, Suman Vihar, Nadu Farm, and Amit Gram, located on the outer fringes of Rishikesh city. This action stems from the Supreme Court taking suo motu cognisance of large-scale encroachments and illegal occupation of protected forest land in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.
The apex court's intervention came during the hearing of a petition filed by Anita Kandwal, challenging a Uttarakhand High Court order from November 14, 2025, which upheld the eviction of illegally occupied forest land. Noting the serious allegations, the SC bench observed that the situation demanded urgent judicial intervention. The court has directed the case to be listed for further hearing on January 5, 2026. The ongoing survey by the administration is part of the process to submit a compliance report to the Supreme Court.
Dehradun SSP Ajai Singh stated that sufficient police force was deployed for the survey. He explained that when officials requested the protesters to clear the blocked roads and rail routes, the crowd unexpectedly turned violent. A case is now being registered, and a hunt is underway to apprehend those involved in the violence.
