THRISSUR: The tribals and the forest officers clashed at Peechi and Olakara on Saturday evening, over the temporary shafts in the forest land. The forest officers led by Peechi Assistant Wildlife Warden Ajayaghosh N K had arrived at the tribal settlement at Peechi to remove the temporary shafts made some distance away from the colony.
The tribal men in the region led by former tribal promoter Ratheesh protested the move and blocked the forest officers from removing it. According to Ajayghosh, The tribals had made the temporary shafts in the forest land without permission.
"It was not inside their settlement, but out of the land allocated for them. We had to move ahead with removing it legally," he said.
Meanwhile, the tribals alleged that the temporary shafts were made to rear goats for their needs. The scheduled tribe department had distributed 58 goats to 34 tribal families in the region, and the shafts were made to rear these animals.
Despite the protest, the forest officials went on to remove the unauthorised set up in the forest land. The forest officer also took Ratheesh into custody for blocking the officers from doing their duty.