Kumram Bheem Asifabad district police on Monday arrested 10 more accused in the case of attack on forest personnel at Sarasala village in Kagaznagar mandal on June 30 and sent them in remand. This takes the number of accused arrested to 24 of the 30 against whom a case was registered.
Some 14 accused, including Zilla Parishad vice chairman and ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader Koneru Krishna and his follower Burra Pocham, were arrested a few hours after the incident. They are now lodged in Adilabad district jail.
Protest staged
Meanwhile, protests against the vicious attack on the forest personnel continued on the second day too.
The Telangana Rashtra Vanjari Sangham staged a rally and a dharna in front the district collectorate at Asifabad demanding opening of a rowdy sheet against the accused.
It may be mentioned here that the injured Forest Range Officer Chole Anitha belongs to the Vanjari community. The Sangham also demanded resignation of Sirpur MLA Koneru Konappa who is the elder brother of Mr. Krishna.
The Telangana Joint Action Committee of Employees and Teachers and Gazetted Officers and Workers staged a demonstration in Adilabad condemning the Sarasala incident. The JAC pointed out that statements being issued by public representatives were giving a fillip to illegal felling of forests.
The organisation demanded stringent action against the accused in the Sarasala case. It also demanded strict implementation of laws so that government servants can function properly.
Forest association
Various associations representing the officers of the Telangana Forest Department have unanimously condemned the attack on a woman officer on duty in Kagaznagar on Sunday.
Representatives from associations of Indian Forest Service and State Forest Service officers, ministerial staff, Range Officers Association, Junior Forest Officers associations have conducted a joint meeting at Aranya Bhavan, the Forest Department headquarters in Hyderabad, on Monday to discuss the issue.
They demanded speedy inquiry and legal action against those resorting to the attack and the politicians backing them. Stating that they are working as per the government’s stipulations, to raise plantation in the compensatory afforestation land as part of Haritha Haaram, the officials reiterated their commitment to the protection of forest lands.
Better coordination
They requested for protection, and proper coordination with Police and Revenue departments to avert such attacks. Government should pay attention to the issues the officers face at the field level, they said. President of the IFS Officers Association P.Raghuveer, vice-president Munindra, and others participated.
