Demanding strict action against her attackers injured forest range officer Chole Anitha today said that the forest staff were beaten up even worse than animals by a mob led by TRS leader Koneru Krishna and she feared for her life even as the department today completed the task of planting saplings in the denuded forest land in the presence of senior officers to foil any more attempt of encroachment.

Speaking to the media in a private hospital where she was being treated Mrs Anitha named Koneru Krishna as her attacker. Koneru Krishna is the brother of TRS MLA from Sirpur Koneru Konappa and according to Anitha those who have opposed the brothers have either been transferred or attacked.

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She said, “There should be strong action against them to stop this.” The forest officer said the mob first attacked her and then rest of the staff. They were brutally thrashed even worse than animals, adding that she never expected to be attacked when she was in uniform.

“We are public servants and were only doing our duty. The party should take action against the MLA. This was not an attack on me but on the uniform, ” said Anitha.

Meanwhile, forest officers and guards took out a rally in Kagaznagar demanding strict action against those who attacked forest range officer Anitha. The Foresters’ Federation demanded probe to establish who is behind this attack. Yesterday, in a statement the staff had said that there was malafide intention of the local MLA to occupy the denuded forest land earmarked for compensatory afforestation in lieu of the lost forest cover due to Kaleshwaram Lift irrigation project.

Today at the spot where Mrs Anitha was attacked nearly 400 forest and police personnel took up plantation work. Senior officers of the forest department were present to boost the morale of the local staff who were joined by DFO of neighbouring ranges in order to complete the task of planting saplings in the entire stretch of 20 acres.

In another video that was circulated TRS MLA Koneru Konappa was caught trying to tutor the villagers into accusing forest staff of intimidating them, digging up their land in front of the media. Condemning the attack, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, PCC chief urged that the MLA’s brother should be booked under SC/ST atrocities Act.