PALAKKAD: The Mannarkad police have registered a case against Kongad CPM MLA KV Vijayadas for allegedly threatening a forest official who tried to evict the encroachers of forest land in the Odakunnu area near the Poonchola in Kanhirapuzha.
The Forest Department sources said more than 15 acres over an area of one kilometre has been encroached and the eviction process was under Section 66 of the Kerala Forest Act. The case has been registered by the police after obtaining the permission of the Mannarkad magistrate. Section officer Sajeevan had filed a complaint at the Mannarkad police station and also submitted the CD of the conversation with the MLA which took place on October 18.
In the threatening call made by Vijayadas, the MLA in a fit of rage - which has gone viral on social media - is heard telling Section Forest officer Sajeevan he will break his legs if he dares go to that place again.
The section officer Sajeev is heard saying he was also a comrade to which Vijayadas says he was bringing disrepute to the name. In the clip, Vijayadas says the people of Mannarkad have a tradition of breaking the legs of sub-inspectors and circle inspectors and chasing them away.
“I am the MLA here, you should have asked me,” he says.Sajeevan then replies he had gone to evict the land on the directions of the Mannarkad Divisional Forest Officer. Vijayadas then is heard asking which DFO and who is a DFO to order such things. Vijayadas also warns the section forest officer not to go to that place again in the clip.
Mannarkad Forest Department officials, when contacted, said there were no adivasis in this encroachment at all. They said that nearly one kilometre of land beside the Poonchola extending up to 12 to 15 acres has been encroached by large landowners.
They said that the modus operandi of the encroachers was to erect a solar fence initially and if it is not removed by the Forest Department, it is re-erected further inside the forest in the next season.