Javadekar condemns attack on woman forest officer in Telangana

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday said the Centre taken seriously the assault on a woman forest officer by the brother of a TRS MLA in Asifabad district of Telangana and made it clear such an incident "cannot be tolerated".

"We are taking it very seriously because it cannot be tolerated. We as regulators will do whatever is possible," he told the Rajya Sabha.

A gang of around 30 people led by ruling TRS MLA Koneru Konappa's brother Konaru Krishna attacked forest officials, including the woman officer, Chole Anita, who had gone to Sarasala village in Khagaznagar to plant saplings on a piece of land allotted for aforestation near Kaleshwaram project in Asifabad on Sunday.

Anita sustained serious injuries in the attack and was rushed to a hospital for treatment.

Krishna, along with 13 other accused, was arrested and a case was also registered against them, police said Sunday. Two policemen were also suspended for their alleged inaction in the case.

The accused TRS leader also resigned his post as Zilla Parishad Vice Chairman.

He had accused the forest department of terrorising adivasi farmers and confiscating their land forcefully.

"I was there to resolve the issue and to ensure justice for tribals as forest officials were destroying their crops in the name of afforestation. I tried to pacify department authorities but in vain. The attack was accidental, not intentional," he had told media.

TRS Working President KT Rama Rao had condemned the attack on the forest officials.

"I strongly condemn the atrocious behaviour of Koneru Krishna who attacked a forest officer who was doing her job. He has been arrested and a case booked already; no one is above law of the land," KTR had tweeted.