Prime petitioner against Reddy brothers attacked in Bellary

Bellary (Karnataka), Mar 29 (ANI): Tumti Iron Ore owner Tapal Ganesh, on whose plea the Supreme Court suspended the Reddy brothers mining operations in Andhra Pradesh, was on Monday attacked by an eight-member gang in Bellary.

Police said Ganesh and two of his brothers were attacked when they were waiting outside a hotel here to meet the officials of the Survey of India team that has been formed by the Supreme Court to see if the reserved forest areas have been encroached by the Obulapuram Mining Company, owned by G Janardhana Reddy.

Attackers armed with sticks also beat up four media personnel, before fleeing the spot in a car, added the police.

The police later shifted the injured mine owners to a hospital and are investigating the incident.

Ganesh is a third-generation miner who is fighting a battle against Obalapuram Mining, owned by the infamous Reddy brothers - Janardhana and Karunakara.

His mine lies on the Karnataka side of the border while the Reddy brothers' mine on the Andhra side - both adjoining.

Ganesh had filed a police complaint in 2006 alleging that Reddy brothers were encroaching on his mine and later filed a petition in the Supreme Court in 2009.

The five-member Survey of India team formed by the Apex court has been meeting officials of the forest and mines and geology department for obtaining details of the six mines on the Andhra-Karnataka border.

The Supreme Court had on March 22 suspended the Reddy brothers mining operations in Andhra Pradesh and ordered a survey team to examine the allegations and submit an interim report within two weeks.

The Apex court had also asked the survey team to monitor the six mines on the Andhra-Karnataka border - three of which belong to the Reddys - to check whether or not they encroach on forestland.

The case will be taken up for next hearing on April 9. (ANI)