Seven years after a violent attack on Forest Department personnel in Telanagna, a special court has convicted eight persons and acquitted 29 owing to lack of evidence.
According to the prosecution, on June 30, 2019, Forest Department officials led by then Forest Range Officer Chole Anita had gone to the forest area in Sarsla village to undertake plantation work and protect government forest land from encroachment.
The operation triggered tensions with local residents, and a group allegedly attacked the officials with sticks, leaving Anita and several forest personnel seriously injured while preventing them from carrying out their official duties.
Police booked 39 individuals for rioting, criminal trespass, voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from duty, attempt to murder, unlawful assembly, and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The investigation was conducted by then Kagaznagar Sub-Divisional Police Officer A Satyanarayana, now Regional Intelligence Officer, Warangal Region, who filed the charge sheet in 2020.
After examining over 300 witnesses and documentary evidence during the prolonged trial, a Special SC/ST Court in Adilabad on Thursday convicted eight people -- Koneru Krishnarao, Buram Pocham, Pulla Sreekanth, Kotte Mallesh, Bibbara Shankar, Bibbara Rajasekhar, Buram Mallesh and Bibbara Shyamala. Each has been sentenced to six months' simple imprisonment and fined Rs 8,500.
The remaining 29 accused were acquitted after the court found the evidence against them insufficient.
The judgment has been welcomed by Forest Department officials, who described it as a significant step towards justice after a prolonged legal battle.
Officials said the verdict sends a strong message that attacks on government employees performing official duties will not be tolerated and reaffirmed the importance of protecting frontline personnel engaged in safeguarding forest resources.
