Taking serious exception to registering a case under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, against 22 tribe members, Hakki-Pikki people of Angadihalli in Belur taluk have urged the State government to send them back to the forests. “Our people are in prison for more than 50 days for false cases filed against them. We were happy as a tribal community in the forests. Please send us back, if you cannot treat us on par with others,” said Hooraja, an office-bearer of the Forest Dwelling Tribes’ Federation.
Clashes broke out between Hakki-Pikki, a tribal community, and Ediga people, in Angadihalli on February 17, after the latter took objection to the tribals using their land for defecation. People of both communities suffered injuries in the clash. Shops were gutted and vehicles were set ablaze.
‘They used explosives’
A.K. Rangaswamy of the Ediga community filed an FIR in Halebidu Police Station against the Hakki-Pikki people alleging that they used explosives normally used to catch wild boars in forests, during the clashes. The police have booked the case under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. Jatindra (34), Gurunath (26), Bharati Kumar (32), Kishor (22), and Keerthi Kumar (22), of Angadihalli have been in judicial custody since February 18. Their bail petition was rejected in the Hassan court.
However, the tribal people have a different tale to tell. “We people never use explosives. Hakki-Pikki people are settled in different parts of the State. There is no instance of our people possessing explosives in the State,” said Mr. Hooraja.
Clash with Ediga
An aged person, Kadaiah, of the Ediga community died on February 17. “It is a practice among many communities, including Edigas, to burst firecrackers during the funeral procession. The procession went on the Belur-Hassa Road, where the Ediga people burst the crackers. The firecracker waste that littered the road was cleared and dumped at four places. The clashes broke out that same evening and the people used the waste left behind after bursting the firecrackers to target us,” Mr. Hooraja alleged.
Kishan (29), a tribal, suffered serious head injuries in the clashes. His nephew and Jyothi Lakshmi, a pregnant lady, were beaten up. Kishan filed a complaint against Ediga community people for alleged atrocities committed on the tribal community. Among other sections, the 12 people of Ediga community were booked under the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 as well. However, they all got bail soon.
Lack of toilets
The tribal community, a nomadic tribe, was provided shelter at Angadihalli in early 1960s. During the time of rehabilitation, around 42 families were granted land.
In the last 50 years, the number of families has increased, but the quantity of land remained same. Now, hundreds of tribal families do not have land even to bury their dead.
“Forget toilets, we don’t have houses in the village. More than five-six families live in each house. Except a handful of families, the rest do not have a place to construct toilets. We are beaten up for defecating in a private place. Where should we go? Let the government send us back to forests,” said Bundi, whose husband Jatindra is in judicial custody.
