Published: 08th April 2015
VELLORE/TIRUVANNAMALAI: Falling prey to the bait of the red sander mafias operating from elsewhere in the country, the tribal youth from Jawadhu hills continue to lose their lives. Tuesday’s shootout was yet another incident that claimed the lives of 20 persons, including nine from Jawadhu Hills, in Seshachalam Reserve Forest area in Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh.
Illiteracy and dearth of job opportunities for tribal youth paved way for the red sander mafias to lure the youngsters, as young as 16 years, into the illegal activities.
The elders in their families were also not dissuading them from taking up the high risk job. The family knew well that their sons, brothers and husbands turn into the workforce of sanders mafias. They have also promised an aid of about Rs 5 lakh as insurance, if they did not return home within three weeks, said a police officer recollecting the statements of tribal youths arrested on their way to Tirupati a few months ago at Kalasapakkam.
The agents catch the youth as young as 15 and 16 years. Six school students were arrested along with two youth - Sekar (25) of Elluparai and Ravi (30) of Themmareddi - from Jamunamaruthur two years ago when they indulged in felling red sanders trees in Seshachalam Reserve Forest two years ago.
“A team of police officials led by then DSP of Chittoor Rajeswar Reddy and then Assistant Conservator of Forest of Chittoor Sivaram Prasad brought the school boys from there. They handed them over to their family members and issued a stern warning. No case had been registered against them, considering their future,” said the police officer.
“Easy money, early marriage and jolly life” got into the head of the youngsters here, said a school teacher on condition of anonymity, adding, “The government should conduct intensive intervention programme among the youngsters and the villagers to prevent such incidents.”
The police are also failing to take action against the agents. They are connected to all the tribal villages — including in Athipattur, Kavanur, Thenmalai, Niyampattu, Nelvasalnadu and Pudurnadu — in Jawadhu Hills.
http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/474937/The-New-Indian-Express-Chennai/08042015#page/2/1
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