Scuffle between Telangana's KHM tribals and forest staff leaves two injured

KHAMMAM: Tension prevailed for some time at Bandarigumpu village in Aswaraopet mandal of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district when forest officials snatched the agriculture implements like the ploughs from the tribals while they were in the midst of farm work.

Forest Department staff stopped them in their tracks, arguing that it was the forest land that they were ploughing to raise crops. Soon, heated arguments ensued which led to a scuffle in which two tribal women received minor injuries and were shifted to a hospital.

According to sources, there has been a dispute over an extent of 25 acres of land between tribals and the Forest Department since 2012.Tribal families argue that it is their land and that they had been cultivating it since 2002 but the Forest Department officials say that the tribals had been raising crops on the land since 2012 only.

“We have been cultivating the land since 2002 but forest officials are disputing it. They are saying that it is their land that we have begun growing crops only since 2011,” a resident said.

Dammapet forest range officer Gummapeta Venkata Lakshmi said: “The land belongs to the Forest Department. The tribals had occupied it in 2012. We tried four times to take possession of the land but each time we tried, the tribals resisted and continued raising crops. Yesterday, the tribals obstructed us when we went there to stop them from continuing farming operations. The police entered the scene and defused the situation after persuading the tribals to calm down. Forest officials lodged a complaint against 10 tribals.”