TIRUVANNAMALAI: A 65-year-old tribal man was allegedly assaulted by forest department personnel at lower Palayamkottai village near Jamunamarathur for refusing to pay Rs 7,000 bribe, according to a formal complaint filed by his wife Mallika L (53) with District Collector Dharpakaraj on Monday.
According to the petition submitted by Mallika L, the incident occurred on June 21 when her husband, Lakshmanan, was herding 14 goats in the Tailathope forest area near their village. Mallika alleged that a forest ranger and other officials approached Lakshmanan and demanded Rs 500 per goat for letting him graze his goats in the area. When he said he could not afford to pay, the officials allegedly hurled verbal abuses at him. This escalated into an altercation and the officials physically assaulted him.
Lakshmanan sustained serious injuries in the attack and was first taken to the Government Hospital in Jamunamarathur. He was later referred to the Government Hospital in Vaniyambadi, where he continues to receive treatment.
Mallika also stated that a police complaint had been filed with the Jamunamarathur police station, but no action has been taken so far. She urged the collector to intervene and ensure that the forest officials responsible for the assault are brought to justice.
The incident has sparked concern among locals, who allege that such harassment by forest officials is not uncommon in remote hamlets bordering forest zones. The district administration has yet to issue an official response.