200 organisations urge Tribal Welfare Dept to address violations faced by tribals in Nagarahole
Bengaluru: A coalition of over 200 social and environmental organisations, along with legal experts, academics, and activists, has raised alarm over the alleged violation of tribal rights in Nagarahole.
The group has called on the Tribal Welfare Department to intervene and address what they describe as “forced eviction” of 150 Jenu Kuruba adivasi, violating the Forest Rights Act, as reported by The Hindu on Wednesday.
The memorandum, submitted to Randeep D., Principal Secretary of the Tribal Welfare Department, and Yogesh, Director of the department, by the representatives of the group highlighted the plight of the Jenu Kuruba tribe in Karadikallu, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.
The members of the solidarity group includes organisations such as India Labour Solidarity (U.K.-based), Food Sovereignty Alliance, Students for Peoples Democracy, and Fridays For Future India, as well as activists like Meera Sanghamitra and Disha A. Ravi.
The issue came to light on May 5, when tribal families re-entered the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve to “reclaim their ancestral land”. In response, over 120 paramilitary troops of the Forest Department and police forces, were reportedly deployed to intimidate the Jenu Kuruba community. The authorities allegedly issued threats of forced eviction.
“In addition to this, the Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF), Nagarahole Wildlife division, issued a letter on May 8, citing a supposed May 6 High Court order, later found to have been fabricated, suspending the FRA-related activities, thus asking the Jenu Kuruba families to vacate their ancestral homeland in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve,” said a statement from the collective.
The letter by the collective termed it “a blatant attempt to withhold implementation of the FRA, 2006, amounting to perjury (lying under oath) under criminal law for the tiger reserve authorities, as well as section 3 (g) of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,” added the report.
The letter has been signed by a diverse group of supporters, including academics from institutions such as IIT Madras, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, National Law School of India University, and Azim Premji University, lending further weight to the call for urgent intervention.
Meanwhile, Randeep has reportedly assured that the grievances will be looked into, and he expressed openness to sending a delegation to Nagarahole to assess the situation directly.
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3 Indians arrested in Canada for shooting outside home
Ottawa (PTI): Three Indian nationals have been arrested by Canadian police on an anti-extortion patrol and charged after bullets were fired at a home.
Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19) and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) face one count each of discharging a firearm, and all have been remanded in custody until Thursday, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) said in a statement on Monday.
The suspects were arrested by patrol officers after an early morning report of shots fired and a small fire outside a home in Surrey's Crescent Beach neighbourhood, the LakelandToday reported.
On February 1, 2026, the SPS members were patrolling in Surrey’s Crescent Beach neighbourhood when reports came in of shots being fired and a small fire outside a residence near Crescent Road and 132 Street.
The three accused were arrested by SPS officers a short time later, the statement said.
SPS’s Major Crime Section took over the investigation, and the three men have now been charged with Criminal Code offences, it said.
All three have been charged with one count each of discharging a firearm into a place contrary to section 244.2(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. All three have been remanded in custody until February 5, 2026.
The SPS has confirmed they are all foreign nationals and has engaged the Canada Border Services Agency, it said.
One of the suspects suffered injuries, including two black eyes, the media report said.
Surrey police Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said on Monday that the suspect had refused to comply with instructions to get out of the ride-share vehicle and started to "actively resist."
"As we were trained, he was taken to the ground and safely handcuffed," said Houghton.
A second suspect with a black eye was also injured in the arrest after refusing to comply, Houghton said.
The arresting officers were part of Project Assurance, an initiative that patrols neighbourhoods that have been targeted by extortion violence.
Houghton said the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is also involved because the men are foreign nationals, and the trio may face additional charges.
It's not clear if the men are in the country on tourist visas, a study permit, or a work permit, but Houghton said CBSA has started its own investigation into the men's status.
Surrey has seen a number of shootings at homes and businesses over the last several months, but there's been an escalation since the new year.
