‘It was fake’: Indian villagers allege forgery behind Adani mine project

Raghunath Khara, a shopkeeper in Balda village in India’s Odisha state, says his thumb impression was forged on a document recording consent to a bauxite mine. The $24m project, developed by Kalinga Alumina, an Adani Enterprises subsidiary, threatens part of Balda Hill’s forest, which at least 10 tribal villages consider sacred. Villagers allege that signatures and thumb impressions from nearly 600 people were collected at council meetings on October 9 of the previous year. Khara says he did not attend Balda’s meeting and was protesting the mine nearby with family members and other villagers.