Mysuru: The Forest Department has lodged a complaint against JD (S) MLA Suresh Gowda in the Nagamangala Rural Police Station accusing him of abusing and threatening Forest Officers. According to the complaint, the police have filed a FIR against 10 people, including the MLA, for allegedly threatening the foresters in Halti village in the taluk who had stopped locals from illegally cutting down trees on the property that was supposed to be a forest.
In the FIR filed on Friday August 5, Nagamangala RFO Sathisha B. stated that MLA Gowda prevented them from carrying out their official duties and threatened them with dire consequences on August 4 while they were clearing encroachments in Halti forest land.
Upon receiving a complaint, Nagamangala police filed a FIR under IPC Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 504 (insult), 506 (criminal intimidation), 353, (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty), and 149 (unlawful assembly guilty of the offence committed of common object), and started an investigation. The encroachment clearing operation to regain the forest land was carried out on Saturday by the Forest Officials under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Aswathi, SP Yathish N., and Forest Department CF Malathi Priya.
