Hyderabad: Centre pulls up DGP over assault

Hyderabad: The attack on the forest range officer by the brother of a Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLA on Sunday, has become a national issue. Outrage has been pouring in from different corners of India against the attackers. Environmentalists, the Indian Forest Service Association, wildlife conservators and even the top brass at the Centre have expressed concern and support for the victim.

The special secretary, Inter-State Council Secretariat (ISCS), Home Ministry, Sanjeev Gupta, enquired about the issue with Telangana DGP M. Mahendar Reddy.

He directed the police to ensure such incidents don’t recur. He took to Twitter to say: “Telangana DGP confirmed to me yesterday, MLA's brother & 15 others have been arrested for attempt to murder. Prompt action by police will bring culprits to book. Shocking, mere plantation by foresters made these goons go berserk!”

The IFS Association has come down heavily on the attackers. ‘Brutal assault on a woman Forest Range Officer by Koneru Krishna Rao (brother of TRS party Sirpur MLA Koneru Konappa). The offender must be booked immediately under law.’

The Telangana United Foresters Federation (TUFF) has written to the Chief Minister stating such incidents won’t be tolerated.  ‘The forest staff is finding it extremely difficult to protect the forest and offenders are becoming more and more offensive with each such incident. In this case the marauding assailants have not shown even the elementary humane nature of respecting women. This tendency cannot be curbed unless the offenders are dealt sternly and punished (sic),’ the letter said.

TUFF insisted that all those involved must be booked, and the investigation should reveal the person who orchestrated it. ‘The state administration should clarify that encroachments after 2005 shall not be regularised. Besides this, fast track courts must be established to deal with such cases,’ the members of TUFF demanded.