KOLAR, 13 APRIL

Tension gripped Kethaganahalli Gate in Srinivasapur taluk on Saturday morning after Forest Department officials arrived to seize tractors used by farmers to plough disputed land. The land had previously been reclaimed by the department as forest land. Villagers staged a road blockade and burnt tyres in protest. Amid the chaos, a farmer named Nagaraj attempted self-immolation by pouring petrol on himself. However, alert police and locals intervened and prevented the act. The dispute began on 5 April, when villagers allegedly ploughed forest land, claiming it belonged to them and citing a pending court case. While villagers argued that a stay order was in place, forest officials asserted that the court had directed maintenance of status quo, prohibiting any activity on the land. Taking serious note of the violation, the Forest Department filed FIRs against 13 individuals and returned on Saturday to seize the tractors involved. So far, three tractors have been confiscated, and efforts are on to seize two more. Range Forest Officer Ravi Keerthi confirmed that no arrests have been made yet.