BELLARY: T. Narayan Reddy, a mine owner from Bellary, has accused G. Janardhan Reddy, BJP MLC, of encroaching upon his mines.

Addressing presspersons here on Sunday, Mr. Narayan Reddy charged the Oblapuram Mining Company (OMC), in which Mr. Janardhan Reddy is a director, with encroaching upon his mines.

He also distributed copies of the letters written to the Minister for Forests and Minister for Mines and Geology on August 19 and September 8 respectively, alleging that OMC had encroached upon his mining area at Tumti village in Sandur taluk of Bellary district.

Mr. Narayan Reddy said that he was granted 11 hectares of mining area in Tumti reserve forest in Sandur taluk of Bellary district (mining lease number 2527) and charged that the people belonging to OMC had deliberately and unlawfully trespassed into his area. He alleged that they were putting cement concrete pillars by breaking the survey pillars in the area.

Mr. Narayan Reddy said he apprehended a threat to his life and those of his sons.

He urged the Government to immediately initiate action to safeguard the forest land by preventing the illegal activities, besides giving police protection to him and his sons.

Bid thwarted

An attempt to carry out mining at the spot where the Sugalamma temple was demolished recently near Halkundi tanda by OMC was thwarted by the Bellary police on Sunday. Six persons, all labourers, engaged in drilling have been taken into custody, according to D.C. Rajappa, Additional Superintendent of Police.

He said that on getting information that mining was being taken up at the controversial site, a team of police officials rushed to the spot to prevent it. According to him, mining on the disputed site could not be taken up when the case of demolition of temple is under investigation.

A police picket had been deployed near the area to prevent mining on the disputed area, he said and added that notices would be served to OMC not to take up mining until the case was cleared.

Mangyu Nayak, a resident of Halkundi tanda in Bellary taluk, claiming himself to be the priest of the temple, had filed a complaint with the Bellary (Rural) police accusing Mr. Janardhan Reddy and Ramachandra Reddy in connection with the demolition of the temple last Sunday.

Mr. Janardhan Reddy has already obtained an anticipatory bail in connection with that case in a local court here.

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