The Forest Department has filed a complaint with the police against eight farmers of Haruvanahalli in Hassan taluk for allegedly obstructing government officials from discharging their duty in connection with the clearing of encroachment of forestland in Yalagunda section.
G.R. Jagadish, Deputy Range Forest Officer (Yalagunda section) has filed a complaint against Kumar, Sathish, Naveen, Bhimanna, Mallikarjun, Shivananje Gowda, Hanume Gowda and Shivarudrappa, all residents of Haruvanahalli. The complaint was registered by the Hassan Rural police on June 22 and since then, members of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha have been protesting against the department.
H.R. Naveen Kumar, president of Hassan district wing of KPRS, on Thursday told The Hindu that residents of Haruvanahalli were cultivating the land for more than 60 years.
The members of KPRS staged a protest in front of the residence of Forest Minister Ramanath Rai in Bengaluru on Thursday in this regard.
