Police action forces end to tribal protest against MP’s Ken-Betwa project after 15 days
Madhya Pradesh police cleared a 15-day protest site against the Ken-Betwa river link project, citing safety concerns due to rising water levels. While authorities stated the removal was peaceful and for medical reasons, protesters alleged the use of force.
Why it matters
The Ken-Betwa project is a major infrastructure initiative with significant environmental and social implications for local tribal communities.
The Madhya Pradesh Police on Sunday (July 19, 2026) morning cleared the site where several tribals have been protesting against the Ken-Betwa river link project and other irrigation projects in Chhatarpur district, and took the protest leader Amit Bhatnagar, who has been on a hunger strike for 14 days, to a hospital.
The police also dismantled the protest site, on the banks of Barana river near Kupi village, and symbolic pyres used by the demonstrators, with officers saying that the decision to bring them out of water was taken due to rising water levels after heavy rains in the area.
However, several protestors refused to move, accusing the police of forcibly removing them and assaulting women. Videos also showed personnel dragging women away from the shore.
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