KOLLAM: Yet another case of custodial torture, this time by forest officials, has emerged in the state. The forest department has transferred an official from the Thenmala range after allegations surfaced that he assaulted a woodcutter from the SC community at the forest station and made casteist remarks.
Forest officer Krishna Kumar has been transferred to the Punalur range in connection with the September 1 incident.
The Thenmala police too have booked Krishna under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act after Janardhanan, the woodcutter, filed a complaint.
Janardhanan, 36, alleged that forest officials confiscated his mobile phone from his house on August 31 and asked him to come to the forest station to trim a tree without approval. When he arrived at the station the next day, he was brutally assaulted, alleged Janardhanan, who also said he was made to provide his thumb impression on a blank sheet of paper against will.
“In the second week of August, I received a call from a person asking me to trim a jackfruit tree on private land, which I did. What I did not know at the time was that it was puramboke land and that the forest officials’ nod was required to carry out any work there,” Janardhanan said. He said around 11 am on August 31, forest officials arrived at his home.
“I was not at home. They took away my phone. When I contacted the forest station the next day, I was asked to come there. When I arrived, it was around 2.30 pm. Forest officer Krishna Kumar slapped me and beat me, causing me serious injuries. He also hurled casteist insults,” Janardhanan alleged.
Following the assault, Janardhanan was admitted to the Punalur taluk hospital. The woodcutter, who lives in Thenmala village with his elderly parents and is the only earning member of the family, said he can barely sit or stand following the incident, let alone work.
“I have been working as a woodcutter and supporting my parents since I was 14. If I miss even a day’s work, we go hungry. Now, I am weak and can barely sit and stand. My parents are worried. Life has become uncertain,” Janardhanan said.
Selvaraj C, range officer of Thenmala forest division, said, “The accused officer has been transferred to Pathanapuram under the Punalur division. We received the transfer order from the office of the chief conservator of forests at 6 p.m. on September 2. He will soon be relieved of his post and an inquiry will be initiated,” Selvaraj said.