TUMAKURU: Farmers, claiming their right over forest and gomala land, clashed with forest department personnel at Gangaiahnapalya village in Gubbi taluk on Thursday evening. A farmer and a forest staffer were injured in the incident.
Tension prevailed after around 50 farmers allegedly threw stones at 40 forest staffers, who resorted to a lathi-charge. Members of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS) alleged that the forest department staff attacked a farmer, Doddananjaiah, who was admitted to the district general hospital. Devendra, a forest guard from Koratagere, too was hospitalised for injuries in his head, sustained in the melee. On Friday, KPRS members protested outside the deputy commissioner’s office, demanding action against the forest staff, including RFO Duggaiah.
It is said that the trouble started with the forest department digging trenches on forest boundaries, at a time when farmers are taking up sowing activities. The group of farmers was led by KPRS leader Yashwant. “The farmers also tried to damage the machines used for digging trenches,” alleged the forest staff. After a heated exchange over the rights of farmers over the land that belongs to the forest department, a scuffle broke out, they added.
Assistant Conservator of Forests Mahesh Malagatti said the protesters obstructed the forest staff who were working on 52 hectares of land on Survey no. 31 and 34 that are notified as a reserved forest. In the same area, 66 acres of land on Survey no. 196 have been identified as gomala land, on which the farmers are claiming their right and have applied for title deeds under the ‘Bagair Hukum’ scheme. He said Tahsildar Arati has ordered a joint survey.