Nine suspects have been arrested after a group attacked Wildlife Department and Police Special Task Force (STF) officers during an operation against illegal encroachment on protected forest land at Akkarayankulam in the Kilinochchi District, according to NewsFirst and the Daily Mirror.
The clash erupted as officers moved to clear unauthorised occupation of the reserve, with the group accused of obstructing the officials’ duties and assaulting them. The nine were taken into custody in connection with the attack, and authorities were continuing inquiries into the incident.
Illegal clearing and encroachment of state forest reserves has been a persistent challenge for Sri Lanka’s conservation authorities, who have warned that unauthorised felling and land grabbing threaten catchment areas, wildlife habitats and the country’s remaining forest cover. Enforcement operations to reclaim encroached land periodically meet resistance from those occupying the sites.
The Forest Department and police have stepped up joint operations in recent months as part of wider efforts to curb deforestation and protect declared reserves. Officials say those found guilty of encroaching on or clearing protected forest can face prosecution under conservation laws.
Investigations into the clash and the circumstances of the arrests were ongoing, and further details were expected once inquiries concluded.
