Tension Erupts in Kesavapatnam: Podu Farmers Hurl Stones at Forest Officials, Several Injured

Adilabad/Hyderabad, July 20 (Maxim News): High tension gripped Kesavapatnam village in Ichchoda Mandal of Telangana as a clash broke out between Podu farmers and forest department officials on Saturday. The confrontation turned violent when a group of villagers pelted stones at forest and police personnel who had arrived to carry out a sapling plantation drive.

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According to reports, the farmers objected to the officials entering their lands, which they claim as Podu cultivation areas. In a bid to stop the plantation activity, they began hurling stones, resulting in multiple injuries to forest staff, police personnel, and journalists who were present to cover the event.

Several police vehicles were also damaged during the stone-pelting. Authorities described the situation as tense, with at least five people sustaining serious injuries. All the injured were initially treated at the Ichchoda Government Hospital, while the critically injured were later shifted to RIMS Hospital for advanced medical care.

Background: The Podu Land Dispute

The incident highlights the ongoing conflict between forest officials and tribal farmers over Podu lands, which are traditionally used by tribal communities for shifting cultivation. Despite government efforts to regulate and reclaim forest land, resistance from local farmers has led to frequent confrontations and unrest in forest fringe villages.

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The villagers allege that the government is encroaching on their livelihood by attempting afforestation drives on land they have been cultivating for generations. Meanwhile, forest officials maintain that the plantation activity is part of the state’s reforestation and environmental protection initiatives.

Security Measures and Ongoing Investigation

Police forces have been deployed in and around Kesavapatnam to prevent further escalation. Authorities are investigating the incident and are likely to file cases of obstruction and violence against those involved in the attack.

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Forest department sources have expressed concern over the rising hostility during environmental missions and called for community dialogue and coordination to resolve land disputes amicably.

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