Manubotlagudem Incident: Staff Responded in Self-Defence, Says DFO
The DFO said the forest department remained committed to resolving the issue through discussions with local residents in coordination with the revenue and police departments.
Nalgonda: The forest department on Saturday issued a clarification on the incident at Manubotlagudem in Ashwapuram mandal of Bhadradri Kothagudem district, where a viral video allegedly showed forest personnel assaulting a tribal woman.
District Forest Officer (DFO) G. Kista Goud said the incident occurred on July 17 when forest staff were carrying out plantation work in Compartment No. 165 of the Rengulagandi-A Beat in the Manubotlapadu forest section of the Manuguru range under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority-Non-Performing Asset (CAMPA-NPA) scheme.
He said about 20 hectares had been identified for afforestation and that the department had conducted a meeting with local residents on June 29 to demarcate the boundaries before commencing plantation work on July 2.
According to the DFO, the plantation work faced resistance from some local residents. He said the department had lodged a complaint with the Ashwapuram police and submitted a preliminary forest offence report to higher authorities.
Kista Goud alleged that a group of local women attacked women forest personnel while they were on duty on July 17. He said the staff responded in self-defence and added that many forest personnel present were also from tribal communities.
He said the department had lodged a complaint with the police and submitted photographs, video footage and medical reports relating to the injured employees.
The DFO said the forest department remained committed to resolving the issue through discussions with local residents in coordination with the revenue and police departments.
