Around 400 police officers and forest department officials resumed afforestation programme a day after forest range officer C Anitha was attacked by a mob for planting trees in the reserve forest. Officials reportedly planted 22,000 saplings in the forest land spread over 60 hectares Sarasala village in Telangana’s Kagaznagar district.
A day earlier, a video of Anitha being violently attacked by a group of men went viral on social media, prompting many, including actor Randeep Hooda, to call for immediate action. Though Anitha was attempting to pacify the angry crowd, the mob refused to back down and instead hit her repeatedly with large sticks, causing a hairline fracture.
Anitha told reporters at hospital,
“I was born in a village and come from a family who aren’t literate. I studied in government colleges and joined the forces to do service to the society. I had never imagined that I would be beaten like this without even considering that I am a woman. I strongly object to this.”
