Bhatkal: Range officer apologize for Sagar road harassment issue after Tanzeem delegation meets ACF
02:32PM Fri 3 Nov, 2017
Bhatkallys News Bureau/ I. Zaorez Shabab
Bhatkal 03 Nov 2017: A delegation of Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem today met Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) Balakrishna HC, to discuss the alleged harassment by forest officials on Nov 1 at Sagar road to a few youngsters who had gone there for a picnic trip.
On Nov 01 2017, around 20 youth had reported alleged harassment by the forest officials and had claimed the officials punctured their vehicles in order to cause the youth inconvenience in returning back to the town after the two parties allegedly had a face off as the youths were barred from camping on a private piece of land nearly 20 km away from Bhatkal town, an area which falls under the forest department. The victims also made the allegations of Range officer Shankar Gowda of racially abusing the Nawayath community of Bhatkal.
This had invited a wider section of people calling for protest against the forest department and the officials' behavior, resulting in a number of people gathering outside the Bhatkal range forest office on the night of Nov 01. A meeting was arranged with ACF then and the crowd was then dispersed.
ACF on Friday arrived at the forest office around 3.00 pm to discuss the issue with the delegation of Tanzeem comprising of Gen. Secy. Altaf Kharuri, Vice President Inayathullah Sahabandri, TMC President Matta Sadiq, TMC Vice President Ashfaq KM, Sanaullah Gawai and others.
The delegations strongly stood for transferring Range Officer Shankar Gowda, and his driver. Shankar Gowda was the in-charge officer when the incident took place and was also present at the scene. And called for strong departmental action against Shankar Gowda for his racial comments against the Nawayath community while threatening of protests if the department fails to do so.
Though Shankar Gowda denied all the allegations made against him and maintained that he was duly abiding by the rules and had never crossed his limit. He also listed out the developmental work that he has been involved in, within the region.
The victims of the harassment too were called to the meeting, who once again revealed all of what happend on the eve of Nov 1, and following a series of heated arguments between the two parties, though rejecting the allegations Shankar Gowda offered himself to get a transfer and move from Bhatkal.
Tanzeem delegations then demanded an apology from Shankar Gowda who again without admitting to that he was involved in any such incident apologized to the delegation.
Towards the end Tanzeem delegation requested the ACF to look into the matter and initiate action against those involved in Puncturing the vehicles of the youths and to make sure no such incident takes place in future.
This had invited a wider section of people calling for protest against the forest department and the officials' behavior, resulting in a number of people gathering outside the Bhatkal range forest office on the night of Nov 01. A meeting was arranged with ACF then and the crowd was then dispersed.
ACF on Friday arrived at the forest office around 3.00 pm to discuss the issue with the delegation of Tanzeem comprising of Gen. Secy. Altaf Kharuri, Vice President Inayathullah Sahabandri, TMC President Matta Sadiq, TMC Vice President Ashfaq KM, Sanaullah Gawai and others.
The delegations strongly stood for transferring Range Officer Shankar Gowda, and his driver. Shankar Gowda was the in-charge officer when the incident took place and was also present at the scene. And called for strong departmental action against Shankar Gowda for his racial comments against the Nawayath community while threatening of protests if the department fails to do so.
Though Shankar Gowda denied all the allegations made against him and maintained that he was duly abiding by the rules and had never crossed his limit. He also listed out the developmental work that he has been involved in, within the region.
The victims of the harassment too were called to the meeting, who once again revealed all of what happend on the eve of Nov 1, and following a series of heated arguments between the two parties, though rejecting the allegations Shankar Gowda offered himself to get a transfer and move from Bhatkal.
Tanzeem delegations then demanded an apology from Shankar Gowda who again without admitting to that he was involved in any such incident apologized to the delegation.
Towards the end Tanzeem delegation requested the ACF to look into the matter and initiate action against those involved in Puncturing the vehicles of the youths and to make sure no such incident takes place in future.
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