The incident took place when a team of police and forest officials tried to force tribals out of Amravati's tiger reserve.
A team of police and forest officials was attacked by tribals in Maharashtra's Amravati on Wednesday when they tried to move them out of the tiger reserve. At least 15 people were injured in the attack while over a dozen vehicles were destroyed by tribals who chased the team away with deadly weapons.
Section 144 has been imposed in the area.
The incident took place when a team of police and forest officials tried to force tribals out of Amravati's tiger reserve. Around 10 villages were vacated and their residents were rehabilitated to other places when the area was designated a tiger reserve over a decade ago.
The rehabilitation process has been going on since 2002. Many of them were shifted to Akola district's Khopat area. Since their new residence was near a semi-urban town, they were forced to change their lifestyle and look for new occupation. Recently, they have started moving back to their villages which now falls under the tiger reserve.
Besides a danger to their lives, living in a designated reserve is also a punishable offence under the Indian Forest Act.
On Tuesday, when officials reached a village to force the tribal villagers out, they were attacked with sharp weapons such as axe and spears.
While police says tribals are risking their lives by living in the area, the villagers say they do not have a choice. According to them, they have to pay for everything in a town, but can get anything easily. Moreover, they do not want to send their children to schools fearing they would forget their tradition and their language. They also claim that the government had done nothing to provide them employement.
(Reported by Jayesh Jagad and Rajesh Sonone)
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