MOLUGU: Two seriously injured forest officers in the alleged attack by Guttikoyas, a tribal community, in Muluugu Regency on Tuesday.
At receiving information that Guttikoyas had cleared 40 hectares of forest land and began cultivation in the Janagalancha forest area in Tadwai Mandal, officers defeating the Balakrishna forest and Staff Base Camp Narendar Babu went to the site to stop Podu’s cultivation.
When they talked to tribes, Guttikaya hordes suddenly attacked them with sticks and stones.
Somaiya Gutttikoe, an elder of tribe, reportedly led an attack with a stick, while other tribes hit them with stones and sticks.
When the situation was out of control, the forest staff escaped from the place with bleeding wounds.
They called forest officers, who saved them from Guttikoyas.
‘Challenges to protect forest land – officials went to the Tadwai police station and filed complaints.
Then, injured forest officials shifted to Muluugu Hospital for care.
Muluugu District Forest Officer Pradeep Kumar Shetty said the special team had been formed to ask the attack.
He said it was a challenge to protect the forest land from the tribe.
“We see an increase in the number of attacks on forest staff throughout the state.
We have planned the district forest protection community meeting …” he said.