The Forest Department has slapped trespass case on the human rights activists who visited the spot of alleged encounter, located deep inside the Seshachalam forest on Saturday. A team of activists from Hyderabad, which landed at the spot on a fact-finding mission, found itself in a tight spot on learning that the department had booked a case under Section 20 of Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, 1967 for violating the rules and illegally entering the protected forests. Many people are not aware of the perils involved in entering the protected forests. Hundreds of devotees daily take a trek to various ‘Theerthams’ and religious places tucked deep into the thickets, which the Forest Department generally ignores as no criminal intent is involved. “A case is booked in the case of Saturday’s event as the activists, knowingly or unknowingly, would have tampered with the evidence,” a senior forest official said. Though a case has been booked, it is immediately not known if the accused will be prosecuted or the offence compounded, as it would unfold as the investigation progresses. However, Kranti Chaitanya, an advocate and the State executive member of APCLC denied knowledge of any case booked against them.
A case is booked in the case of Saturday’s event as the activists, knowingly or unknowingly, might have tampered with the evidence.
Senior forest official
Many people are not aware of the perils involved in entering the protected forests, say officials
