Shepherds attack forest officers

UMRED, July 20: Six persons were arrested in connection with a murderous attack on forest department employees and farmers at Salairani for...

UMRED, July 20: Six persons were arrested in connection with a murderous attack on forest department employees and farmers at Salairani forest. About 50 Kathiawadi herd-men are supposed to have carried out the attack.

Trouble had been brewing between the farmers and the Kathiawadi people ever since the herd-men started camping at Salairani Shiwar about a fortnight ago, with their cattle.

Farmers alleged that the Kathiawadi people deliberately let their cattle graze on their crops or on the forest nursery.

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The farmers tried to prevent the herd-men, but to no avail. The Kathiawadi men threatened to kill the farmers.

Complaints were lodged against the herd-men with Range Forest Officer (RFO) Pradip Mandare. Mandare, accompanied by forest employees and farmers, visited Salairani Shiwar. Only some Kathiawadi women were present at the camp at that time and the men had gone to the forest with their herds.

On learning about the RFO’s visit, about 50 herd-men returned to their camp and attacked the forest employees and farmers with wooden sticks, axes and stones.

Mandare lodged a complaint against the Kathiawadi herd-men with the Bela police immediately and police inspector Kale reached the site along with the police force. The herd-men however fled before the police could reach there.