The tribals of Nilgiri on Thursday staged a picketing on the road connecting Nilgiri and Thakurmunda via Kaptipada alleging excesses by the Forest Department and no police action.
As a result, the vehicular movement on the road was disrupted for more than five hours. The picketing was withdrawn after Nilgiri Sub Collector Aboli S Naravane assured the agitators of justice.
“The agitators were told that no action would be taken against
them till completion of an independent inquiry. Further, they would be given land as per FRA norms,” said Aboli.
The tribals are up in arms against the Forest Department as they alleged that a 35-year-old woman of their community was molested by guards when she was fast asleep in a mancha (raised platform) along with her infant to guard farmland in the name of search on Friday night.
They said that the police didn’t take any action against the accused persons. The Forest personnel who were accused of the attempt to rape and molestation are forest guard Anjan Das and members of Sabuja Bahni, Buddhiram Singh ,Ganeswar Biswal and Musika Singh.
Musika Singh while managed to flee, the rest three were thrashed by locals on Friday night when the victim raised alarm that she was molested by them.
Injured Anajan Buddhiram and Ganeswar are undergoing treatment in the Nilgiri sub divisional hospital since then. The police said an inquiry was in progress in the case as the Forest Department alleged that the tribals fabricated the story as the department raided the victim’s house to nab her husband after seizing deer meet (raw) from their house.
“About 1kg deer meat was seized from their house in the afternoon (Friday). Since her husband escaped from the scene, the raid was conducted in their house in the night.
The woman raised false alarm and mobilised the people. They in a form of mob thrashed our personnel,” said Range Officer, Kuldhia, laxman Pradhan.
“After we lodged a forest case against her husband Sanatan Singh and seven others and a police compliant, the tribals lodged a complaint alleging attempt to rape against the woman,” he added.
Nilgiri IIC Ramesh Singh said, “An inquiry is underway.
The forest personnel are still under treatment in hospital where as the accused persons who killed a deer and ate meat are absconding from village.”