400 forest range officers plant saplings to protest against TRS attack

Telangana: Scores of Forest Range officers came together in a show of unity here on Monday to protest against the attack by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) workers and their supporters on their colleagues and police recently.

Rajnith Naik, Divisional Forest Officer, Komaram Bheem Asifabad said saplings were planted at the same place where Forest Range Officer Chole Anita and others were attacked by TRS leader Koneru Konappa, his brother and their followers.

As many as 400 officials took part in this plantation drive, including 50 policemen, and planted saplings as a way of responding to the assault.

Adilabad and Warangal Forest Department officers, including DFOs, also participated in the event. It was organised not only to boost the morale of the department but also to ensure that the plain land is converted into a forest.

The forest officials were allegedly attacked by TRS supporters led by Krishna when they went to plant saplings at a plot allotted for forest development.

"Fourteen have been arrested and two police officers have been suspended for their inaction in the incident of an attack on forest officials," police had said.

Giving details of the incident, Inspector General of Police Nagi Reddy had said, "A gang of around 30 people led by Krishna attacked forest officials who had gone to Sarasala village in Khagaznagar to plant saplings on land allotted for forest development near Kaleshwaram project."

The main accused Krishna, a local body chairman representing the ruling party and brother of Konnappa, resigned soon after the incident.

A case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered and two police officials -- Khagaznagar DSP P Sambaiah and Khagaznagar Rural Police Station Circle Inspector Venkatesham -- were suspended for their alleged inaction.