Telangana forest officer attacked by mob ‘led’ by brother of TRS MLA 

New Delhi: A woman forest range officer carrying out an afforestation drive in Telangana was attacked Sunday by a mob allegedly led by the brother of a Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) MLA.  

In videos of the attack that have gone viral, range officer Chole Anitha can be seen being violently attacked by a mob armed with lathis at Telangana’s Kagaznagar. 

In this video, #Anitha identifies Krishna as the man who hit her and led the mob, says he is the brother of the mla. Her injuries are visible and she is in pain. Will #trs chief #kcr take action. Anitha was there to supervise a plantation drive. @FilterKaapiLive pic.twitter.com/Wj6LLmlrSR

— T S Sudhir (@Iamtssudhir) June 30, 2019

Anitha has named TRS leader Koneru Krishna Rao, who is also the brother of the Kagaznagar MLA Koneru Konappa, as the person to have led the attack on her. A tribal range officer in the forest department, Anitha is reportedly undergoing treatment at a private hospital. 

The Telangana Police told ThePrint that Rao has been arrested.  

Officer was carrying out govt initiative

According to a report in the Bangalore Mirror, Anitha had gone to Sarsala forest village in Kagaznagar to plough a 20-acre piece of land under a mass tree plantation drive called Haritha Haram — the state government’s ambitious plantation program.

According to the same report, Krishna Rao had arrived on the spot after being alerted by some villagers of the forest department’s activity. According to Rao, the land where the department was trying to carry out the afforestation activity belonged to farmers.

In the video, Anitha can be seen attacked by more than 10-15 people with lathis, even as she tries to protect herself by climbing atop a tractor. The police look on until the woman officer falls from the tractor — injured and whimpering in pain.

Speaking to ThePrint, ADG Jitender said police were in fact very prompt in taking action, and that Rao has already been apprehended. A team has additionally been formed to apprehend the other accused as well, he said.

TRS leader Kadiyam Srihari refused to comment on the matter.

Forest officers seek better security

While the attack is now doing the rounds all over social media, with condemnations pouring in, it is not uncommon for forest staff to be encounter several dangerous situations in their line of duty – including attacks by angry villagers, encroachers, poachers, among others.

A lady forest officer beaten by locals In kotha sarsala village in Telangana. Lady officer along with her team and police officials had gone there to plant trees as part of Afforestation. Allegedly mob who attacked was led by TRS MLA Koneru Konappa’s brother Koneru Krishna. pic.twitter.com/oWmU5Z3okV

— Jitender Sharma (@capt_ivane) June 30, 2019

What a shame. Attacking public servant Just because they are doing their duty. https://t.co/vJqxIwNRMF

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) June 30, 2019

Shameful, utter shameful. Who is this goon? A lady range officer is being attacked with sticks when she has gone to attempt planting. Where is the protection from doing one’s duty. This man who has instigated such attack, should be given a befitting reply, 1/n https://t.co/AiqmjXLb7d

— Dipika Bajpai (@dipika_bajpai) June 30, 2019

Officers from the Indian Forest Service have been demanding more government protection for forest staff, whose job entails dangers like dodging forest fires, mitigating man-animal conflicts, combating illegal activity and encountering wild animals on a daily basis. In addition, they have to grapple with the problem of complete state apathy.

Earlier this year, after a spate of attacks on forest staffs across the country, the IFS Association had tweeted that there is a need for systemic reforms to improve the security of forest officials — a demand that has so far fallen on deaf ears.

This is so disturbing!! Mr. Shravan Kumar Reddy, IFS(2016)and other forest officials attacked by mining mafia in Karauli, Rajasthan. Security concerns of Forest personnel needs to be taken at highest level. @PMOIndia @moefcc @HMOIndia https://t.co/88YBRtlFaA

— IFS Association (@CentralIfs) April 27, 2019

“In this case also, she is carrying out the state government’s program… So is it not the state government’s job to ensure her protection?” said an IFS officer who did not want to be named. “This case will get more eyeballs because of the political angle but the fact is that our staff face these kind of dangers everyday with little or no recognition.”

Find the best cartoons of the day, funny yet intelligent, on Last Laughs