Farmer killed by forester following verbal altercation, relatives protest demanding action

A farmer had gone to the forest near Gudalur on way to his plantation. There he got into a verbal altercation with a forester, who reportedly asked him not to enter the forest. When the farmer allegedly tried to attack the forester with his knife, the latter shot him dead. His relatives staged a roadblock demanding action against the accused forester.

Theni (Tamil Nadu):A farmer, who tried to enter the forest area was shot dead by a forester in Tamil Nadu's Thenai district. The deceased, identified as Easwaran, has been accused of threatening and attempting to attack the forester with a knife.

The incident took place in Gudalur forest area in Kulappakavundanpatti on Saturday night. Easwaran, who hails from Kullappagoundanpatti village near Gudalur went to his plantation in the Vannathiparai area for work when he ventured into the nearby forest. The Gudalur Forest Department officer, who were patrolling inside the forest, allegedly shot Easwaran and he succumbed to his injuries.

According to the forest department officials, Easwaran had trespassed into the forest and also tried to kill the forester with a knife. The officials said that although Easwaran was repeatedly told not to enter into the forest he refused and this led to an argument.

"Easwaran tried to attack the forester who shot him in retaliation. Easwaran started bleeding profusely and died on the spot," police said. The forester then informed the department and a team of police inspected the spot while Easwaran's body was sent for post-mortem.

The incident left Easwaran's relatives angry. After hearing about his death, the relatives started protesting against the forest department in front of Cumbam Government Hospital on the Theni-Kumily Highway demanding action against the forester. They claimed that Easwaran was innocent and had gone to work in his plantation when he was shot dead by the forester. They held the department responsible for killing an innocent person.

After getting information about the protest, a team of policemen rushed to the spot and tried to convince the agitators to lift the road block.