Even as the incident that occurred in Sarsala village in Komaram Bheem district where Forest Range Officer Chole Anitha was grievously injured in a mob attack led by the local MLA's brother is fresh in the people's memory, two more officials of the forest department were brutally caned by podu cultivators for attempting to stop the latter from ploughing forest land, at around 2 am on Tuesday at Thimmampet (compartment 344) under Gundalapadu panchayat of Mulkalapally mandal in the Bhadradri Kothagudem district.
The two foresters suffered grievous wounds in the attack by the locals.
According to the information, Forest Section Officer Neelamaiah, Beat Officer Bhukya Bhaskar and staff rushed to the village following information that podu cultivators had engaged tractors and were ploughing forest land at the village during midnight. The officials seized three tractors and returned to their base camp.
Those on watch at the land alerted the locals, who in large numbers rushed to the spot and attacked the forest staff with sticks.
The attackers also snatched the mobile phones of the forest staff.
The injured officials were taken to the Mulkalapally government hospital for treatment.
Later on Tuesday morning, the officials lodged a complaint with the Mulkalapally police. Police sub-inspector Suman has registered a case and is investigating.