TRS MLA, followers booked for obstructing, threatening forest officers in Telangana

TRS MLA Vanama Venkateshwara Rao and his followers have been booked by the police for allegedly obstructing and threatening the Forest Department personnel, while they were carrying out their work in a forest reserve land, police said on Monday.

Speaking to ANI, Sunil Dutt, SP, Kothagudem, said: "Today we received a complaint from the forest officials stating that TRS MLA Vanama Venkateshwara Rao and his followers forcibly stopped the work they are doing in a forest reserve land and also threatened them."

"Regarding this, a case has been registered under Sections 143, 447, 427, 506, 353 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Laxmidevpalli police station. Further investigation is underway," said Dutt.

MRP Rao, Deputy Range officer, Chathkond, Kothagudem Range, speaking to media on Sunday night had said: "On June 30, around 10.30 am, the Forest Department personnel were digging pits for the construction of protection wall in the reserve forest land."

"While this was going on, former MPTC Punam Sreenu and Sampatnagar president Prasanth along with around 80 people in which there were around 30 women, arrived at the spot and asked us to stop the work immediately. We were also asked by MAL Vanama Venkateshwara Rao to stop the work," Rao had said.

"We informed higher officials about the situation. But when we left for lunch, Rao along with his son Vanama Raghava Rao joined the group and started filling up the pits that were being dug for the construction of the forest land protection wall," he added.

He further said, "As soon as we were informed about this, we reached there and found that the MLA and his son have already left the place. When we talked to the people there and tried to convince them not to stop the work, I received a call from Venkateshwara Rao. He warned us to stop the work immediately and leave the place.