TRS leaders thrash police, forest guards; accused says attack wasn't intentional

A team of police and forest guards were attacked allegedly by ruling party Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) supporters in Sirpur- Kagaznagar under Komaram Bheem, Asifabad district on Sunday.

The attack was allegedly led by TRS MLA Koneru Konappa and his brother Krishna, who is also a local body chairman representing the ruling party.

The forest guard team along with its law and order force was undertaking alternative forestry as instructed by the government around its flagship Kaleshwaram project.

The crew went to plant trees in 20 hectares which were obstructed by local leaders, after which violence broke out.

Anita, a forest range officer, suffered injuries and is admitted to the hospital for treatment.

Speaking to media, the accused Konaru Krishna said, "The forest department is terrorising adivasi farmers and confiscating their land forcefully. I was there to resolve the issue and to ensure justice for tribal as forest officials were destroying their crops in the name afforestation. I tried to pacify department authorities but in vain. The attack was accidental action, not intentional."

Krishna Sagar Rao, Chief Spokesperson of BJP in Telangana said, "BJP strongly condemns the heinous attack on women forest range officer in Asifabad district. Around 30 to 40 goons of the ruling TRS party attacked this lady officer and her team who were actually working parallelly for irrigation project forestation work. She has been badly injured and now she is in hospital and the agony she has expressed in a video message is painful and heart rendering."

"The Chief Minister of the state K Chandrasekhar Rao has not made any statement nor did the home minister of the state. They are in absentia. The MLA Koneru Konappa and his brother Krishna are not seen. The TRS goons are all over the place. BJP demands immediate action and explanation from the chief minister for this behaviour by an MLA and his brother. We extend our support to the lady officer. We will stand by her in the legal tussle ahead," he added.