Outfit seeks TN intervention in tribals' harassment issue

Chennai: Days after tribals of a hilly hamlet  in Theni district accused forest personnel of outraging  the modesty of their womenfolk, a tribal outfit has urged  Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa to render justice for them. "Chief Minister Jayalalithaa should intervene and ensure that the tribal people, who are at the bottom of the social ladder, get justice," president of Tamil Nadu Tribal People Sangam P. Dillibabu said on Tuesday.   

Recently, the tribals had staged a protest alleging that the modesty of their womenfolk was outraged by some forest personnel under the pretext of carrying out frisking operations and petitions were given to Theni district collector and police superintendent seeking action.   

In a statement here, the chief of the CPI (M)-affiliated tribal outfit sought relief assistance to the affected tribal families. Dillibabu also demanded the suspension of a forest ranger and a forester, for the incident and meting out humiliating treatment to the tribal men when they were returning home from the forest after collecting honey and other items. Alleging that some of them were jailed on false charges, he demanded that the cases be withdrawn.

Theni SP V Baskaran had directed a woman police inspector to look into the accusations of the tribals that the forest personnel had asked the tribal women to strip for carrying out checks. After recording the version of the forest officials, inspector Ramalakshmi will submit her report to the police and revenue officials for further action, it was stated.