Video: 16 arrested for attacking female officer in India after viral video

Mob violence has become an everyday reality in India. This is what shocked Twitter users in the country said after a video of a female forest officer being beaten with sticks by a mob in the state of Telangana, went viral.

Arrests made, ministers react

After many tweeps shared the footage of the attack on Forest Range Officer C Anitha on Sunday, police took action and arrested Koneru Krishna Rao, the brother of Koneru Kannappa, the Sirpur MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly). Krishna Rao was allegedly leading the mob attack at a village in Komaram Bheem, Asifabad district.

According to news reports, the Superintendent of Police (SP) Malla Reddy said Krishna Rao has been arrested and booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Additionally, sixteen other men who were allegedly involved in the attack were arrested.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Working president K T Rama Rao condemned the attack. In a tweet, Rama Rao wrote: “I strongly condemn the atrocious behaviour of Koneru Krishna who attacked a forest officer who was doing her job. He has been arrested and a case booked already; no one is above law of the land.”

Opposition parties Congress and BJP slammed the K Chandrasekhar Rao government.

What happened

A Forest department official told news channels that Anitha had gone to Sarasala village with some officials to plant saplings as part of the government’s ‘Haritha Haram’ green initiative programme when some people, led by Krishna, attacked them with bamboo poles, claiming that the land belonged to them.

The video footage showed Anitha climbing a tractor to escape as Krishna and several other men attacked her with bamboo sticks. They continued hitting her till other forest officials and local police came to her rescue.

Telangana Principal Chief Conservator of Forest P K Jha told media that the land in question belonged to the forest department and the MLA was also informed about it.

Victim hospitalised

Anitha has been hospitalised. Speaking to reporters at the hospital, Anitha alleged that Krishna first hit her with a bamboo stick, followed by the others in the group.

Two other police officers, who were at the scene at the time of the attack, have been suspended for failing to protect the officer, BBC Telugu reported.

The viral video drew immense flak on Twitter and led to outrage across the country. Many said the perpetrators of the crime should be punished immediately.

@sarvanamb posted: “The person who hit the female police officer should be put in jail without bail.”

And, @hemang25shah tweeted: “The image of the lady officer being hit with the stick is sickening to the core! Hope strict action is taken against these goons. #India”

https://twitter.com/AKhatri25/status/1145406019960311808

A state of lawlessness?

Some took to Twitter to discuss the rise in the number of mob-violence cases in India. Is the government to blame? Is the issue not a top priority for the lawmakers of the country? These were a few questions asked.

Twitter user @GBLeadership posted a tweet for the Indian Prime Minister. “#NarendraModi let’s first fix this national disorder - men beating, raping women, elected officials abusing their power. Then, we can talk about India being a superpower. Disgusting.”

Highlighting the state of lawlessness in the country, @TheOneTrace posted: “Ignorance, lawlessness, disrespect, abuse, often accompany archaic patriarchy.”

@waugh_robert asked: “What’s so offensive in planting a tree in India? Seems every week some Indian faction goes off the rails and beats people up for a ridiculous reason. Mob violence is now becoming the norm and it gives this great country a really black eye.”

And, @Bugsabee added: “The rise of the mob mentality. Mob violence is slowly becoming a way of life in India.”