Pramesh S Jain
T
he Sathanuru police on Tuesday arrested a 35-year-old rowdy-sheeter along with two of his associates for assaulting forest officials and Hoysala staff who were on patrolling duty in the forest area in Halasinamaradoddi Village in Kanakapura on Sunday night .
The accused Kiran and four of his associates were drinking in the forest area when Deputy Range Forest officer,Muthuswamy Naik and his team who are monitoring the elephants movement in the forest area, confront them.
Heated argument ensued when the forest officials questioned them for which the accused become aggressive and attacked the officials .
They even tried to set fire to the patrolling vehicle and slapped kicked and dragged the forest officials considering the gravity of the situation,a message was sent to the control room and Hoysala patrolling near-by rushed to the spot.
The accused even overpowered the Hoysala staff and the forest officials beat up them up and damaged the tablet and tried to escape .
However with great difficulty the police managed to pin down Kiran and two others and handed them over to the Sathanur police .
The entire incident was recorded on the mobile phone of one of the staff which has been handed over to the police for further investigation.
Based on the complaint,the police registered an FIR against the accused charging them under wrongful restrain,wrongful confinement,intentional insult to provoke breach of peace,criminal force against public servant, attempt to murder,unlawful assembly and prevention,destruction and loss to property Act.
The accused according to the complainant were angry about forest officials not doing enough to prevent elephant menace.
The accused abused heckled the staff and snatched their vehicle keys and prevent them to continue patrolling .
