On Sunday in Rishikesh, things got tense. Locals, angry over an investigation into the lease of nearly 2,900 acres of reserved forest land, threw stones at police and forest officials.
The protest wasn’t quiet, either; they blocked highways and stopped trains for hours.
Word got out fast. Dehradun’s Senior Superintendent of Police, Ajay Singh, showed up and convinced the crowd to let traffic move again, both on the roads and the railway line.
Stones pelted at Police in Shivajinagar, Rishikesh regarding a land issue. (Gumaniwala Mansadevi)
Since stone-pelters are neither muslims nor Kashmiris, so no one will call them out or their religion.
(Video – ig – @/vibewithnikki82) pic.twitter.com/LqQOuGOXeA
— Tarun Gautam (@TARUNspeakss) December 29, 2025
Why did the protest take place?
This all started after the Supreme Court ordered an investigation into the lease of the reserved forest land back in December. The Uttarakhand government set up a committee to survey the area, and as soon as the team began work, locals pushed back hard.
By 4 pm, protesters had set up camp right on the railway tracks at Mansa Devi, halting the Barmer Express for four hours. Others blocked nearby roads. When officials tried to talk things over, the crowd wouldn’t budge. Only when the SSP arrived did they finally clear the blockades.
Police wanted to make it clear they meant business, so they held a flag march through Shyampur to show they were in control.
#WATCH | Rishikesh, Uttarakhand | People protesting against the Forest Department’s actions blocked railway tracks and pelted stones at the 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) December 29, 2025
What is the Rishikesh land cease case?
The investigation committee has to report back to the Supreme Court by January 5, so, despite the protests, they kept measuring land across Bapu Gram, Shivaji Nagar, Meera Nagar, Nandu Farm, Malviya Nagar, Amit Gram, and Mansa Devi.
Experts say the land is officially a reserved forest, so it can’t legally be registered or sold, but people have been trading it anyway, using just ₹100 stamp paper. The government owns the land, but locals keep buying and selling it.
A petition from Anita Kandwal brought all this to the Supreme Court’s attention. Now, those involved in the land deals are feeling the heat and have started to protest the committee’s work.
The inquiry has been running for two days straight, facing constant resistance. The SSP said police have identified people stirring up trouble for their own gain, and they’re now filing cases against them.
