Six injured as eviction drive turns violent in VTR

Bettiah: A forest department team carrying out an anti-encroachment drive in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) came under attack from villagers, who also set an excavator on fire at Dhanahiya near Thadi village in the Valmikinagar forest range of West Champaran district on Thursday.Around six people, including forest personnel and locals, were injured in the violence.Officials said nearly five acres of forest land had allegedly remained under encroachment for the past 15 years and was being used for sugar cane cultivation. A forest department team, accompanied by three earthmoving machines, reached the site to clear the encroachment.Trouble began when the excavators started removing the standing sugar cane crop.

Locals opposed the action and the protest soon turned violent. During the clash, one of the excavators in the field was set ablaze by members of the crowd.Police from Valmikinagar police station reached the spot after receiving information but initially struggled to control the agitated crowd. Bagaha SDPO Nihar Bhushan and SSB commandant also reached the site with additional security personnel.The officials pacified the protesters, brought the situation under control and safely evacuated the forest department team.

Additional police and forest personnel have since been deployed in the area to prevent any fresh disturbance.Bagaha SDPO Nihar Bhushan said, “The situation has been brought under control. Necessary steps are being taken to maintain law and order and further action will be decided after a meeting with forest officials.”Valmikinagar SHO Manoj Kumar said an FIR would be registered against the identified people after the forest department submits a formal complaint, following which legal action would be initiated.