The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has now sought an action-taken report from the police in Telangana’s Khammam district, where around 300 people from the Koya tribe (a Scheduled Tribe), had been cheated by a man promising to get their lands registered and provide forest pattas.
The petitioners had approached the NCST, saying that they were victims of the “Salwa Judum”, had fled from Left-wing extremism (LWE) violence in Chhattisgarh and settled in Telangana. In a hearing before the Commission on Wednesday headed by member Ananta Nayak, the petitioners said that the accused cheated them thrice.
The Commissioner of Police, Khamman, also appeared before the Commission during the hearing and submitted that the accused was a habitual offender who had absconded with the money given to him by the tribespeople. The police added that an FIR had been registered in the matter and that investigation was going on.
The complainants alleged to the Commission that the police was not acting against the accused, adding that authorities in Telangana were not issuing ST certificates to them. Given that their roots were in Chhattisgarh, the tribespeople possess ST certificates issued in Chhattisgarh.
This, despite the Koya tribe being listed as an ST in both Chhattisgarh and Telangana.
The Commission said that it was taking up this case along with that of the “Salwa Judum”, considering the gravity of the issue.
Published - March 17, 2023 04:36 am IST
