The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Trees felled in land-grabbing bid

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Tuesday, Apr 15, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Trees felled in land-grabbing bid

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: A senior official of the Department of Horticulture has alleged that 350 people associated with Muthappa Rai cut down Niligiri trees worth lakhs of rupees grown in land owned by the department at Devanahalli taluk on Sunday.

K.R. Vijay Kumar, assistant horticulture director of Devanahalli taluk, has, in a release, said that the Niligiri trees were on 3.2 acres in survey number 90 at K. Pujenahalli in Devanahalli taluk, Bangalore Rural district. Mr. Vijay Kumar has alleged that this was “the second attempt to grab this piece of land belonging to the department”.

He has said that land grabbing attempts are on as the land is close to the Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli and one acre of land is estimated at Rs. 8 crore. “The persons had in their possession pistols, machetes and other lethal weapons. They also had eight earthmovers and 15 tractors. With all this, they threatened the department personnel in the area and made away with government assets,” the release said.

Superintendent of Police, Bangalore Rural, Vikash Kumar Vikash, told The Hindu that based on a complaint by the Horticulture Department, a case of criminal trespassing has been registered against Ravi Kumar and his accomplices. “There is a dispute over this piece of land and the issue is pending before the Deputy Commissioner, Bangalore Rural District,” Mr. Vikash said. The police have recovered the trees that had been cut, two earthmovers and tractors each.

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