Tribals attack 50 forest officers, cops with axes and chilli powder

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More than 50 officials of the forest department and the police were brutally attacked with an axe and chilli powder inside the core Kelpani area of Melghat Tiger Reserve late Tuesday night. The police and forest officials were asking villagers who had set up house inside the forests to return to the new houses constructed for them outside the forest area as part of a government rehabilitation programme.

According to the Forest Department, around 50-60 officials including policemen were attacked in the Kelpani area of the Akot division of Melghat Tiger Reserve. Some villagers too have been injured in the incident. Range Forest Officer Atul Deokar, general secretary of the Forest Rangers' Association, Maharashtra, said, "The association strongly condemns the attack. The villagers have been regularly harassing the forest staff under the garb of being a tribal population and pressing for undue demands against government policy. Yet, the forest staff dealt with them very patiently and never used force." The villagers, he said, attacked the forest and police staff with an axe and by slinging stones, injuring most of them and damaging forest property. "A large area in the core Melghat Tiger Reserve was also burnt down by the villagers," Deokar added.

What led to the incident?
According to FD officials, villagers from the tiger reserve were rehabilitated in Akot village by the state government recently but the villagers were not happy with it. They soon began returning to their base in the forest and became angry when officials requested them to leave.

Conservationists condemn attack
The wildlife fraternity has demanded strict action against those responsible for the cowardly act, with many taking to social media. IFS Praveen Kasvan tweeted, "Such a cowardly act. Around 300 miscreants instigated by a local leader entered #Melghat Tiger Reserve and attacked the staff. Some 70 forest staff are seriously injured including 2 RFO. They damaged 15 govt vehicles and burnt the meadows. All for protecting public property."

Bollywood actor and wildlife conservationist Dia Mirza too called for action. "This is so disturbing! Our forest guards and officials protect our fundamental life securities. These miscreants must be brought to book. My thoughts and prayers are with our #VanRakshaks," she tweeted, tagging the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Union Minister Dr Harshvarshan and Union Minister of State Dr Mahesh Sharma. A statement by the Forest Rangers Association said that some officials are battling for life.

"The association calls for immediate legal action against the perpetrators. The association takes a resolution to take further action if perpetrators are not booked under attempt to murder charges within seven days," said Deokar.

Also Read: Tribal man brutally killed for suspected witchcraft in Tripura

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