Attack on Telangana woman forest officer: SC to hear plea on July 19

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on July 19 a plea seeking a probe into the attack on a Telangana woman forest officer by a mob allegedly led by the brother of a ruling TRS MLA.

The plea also sought quashing of charges under the SC/ST Act and other provisions levelled against Kagaznagar Forest Range Officer C Anitha.

A bench headed by Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta said it will hear the matter and asked advocate ADN Rao to file the petition.

Rao, who is assisting the top court as amicus curiae in matters related to forest and the environment, mentioned the plea for urgent listing of the case.

"It is an urgent matter. A woman forest officer from Telangana while performing her official duties was attacked by some people recently. She was later booked on false charges of offences under SC/ST Act," Rao said.

The bench directed the court staff to list the matter on July 19.

On June 30, Anitha was attacked and injured by a group allegedly led by the brother of a Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLA in Komram Bheem Asifabad district.

Anitha had gone to the village with a few officials to plant saplings as part of the government's 'Haritha Haram' green initiative when she was attacked by the group who claimed the land belonged to them.

However on July 8, she was booked under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act on a complaint filed by a tribal woman, who alleged she and her staff had abused her and others when they were working in their field.

A video clip of the attack on Anitha had gone viral.

Following this, police arrested Koneru Krishna Rao, brother of Sirpur MLA Koneru Kannappa, and 13 others on attempt to murder and rioting charges among others.

Two senior police officials were also suspended for negligence in duty.