Kerala Forest Minister seeks report after tribal man threatens to kill himself over vehicle seizure
Forest Minister Shibu Baby John has sought a report from the Munnar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) regarding the seizure of an earth mover owned by
Forest Minister Shibu Baby John has sought a report from the Munnar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) regarding the seizure of an earth mover owned by a tribal man. According to sources, the Minister intervened after the owner threatened self-immolation in front of the Nagarampara forest range office under the Kothamangalam forest range on Thursday (July 9, 2026). According to the tribal man, identified as Ajeesh Kumar (46), a resident of Pazhayarikandam in Kanjikkuzhy, the forest officials booked a case against him and another resident in 2020 over soil removal and the uprooting of trees on land that had been in a private individual’s possession for years. The Forest department initially valued the uprooted trees at just ₹700.
However, a year later, the deputy range officer allegedly directed Mr. Ajeesh to surrender his vehicle to the Forest department, promising its release within 10 days. Four-and-a-half years later, the Forest department has still not released the earth mover which is valued at ₹30 lakh. Mr. Ajeesh stated that he had approached the High Court two years ago, which directed the department to decide on the vehicle’s release, but forest officials opposed it. Meeting to be held Driven to desperation on Thursday, the tribal man poured petrol over his body and threatened to set himself ablaze in front of the office. He called off the protest only after officials assured him that a meeting would be held at the Munnar DFO office on Tuesday (July 14, 2026) to discuss the issue.
The SC/ST department has also intervened. Idukki Land Freedom Movement (ILFM) chairman Rasak Chooravelil stated that the Forest department seized the vehicle under Section 61A of the Kerala Forest Act. “This act is not applicable in this case,” Mr. Chooravelil argued. “The incident occurred on land that has been under private possession for over 60 years. Forest department officials are continuing anti-people actions under the guise of illegal forest land encroachment charges,” he said. ‘Separate cases’ Meanwhile, a senior Forest department official clarified that the vehicle seizure and the tree-felling incident are separate cases. “The Forest department has already charged Mr. Ajeesh and another individual for tree-felling on forest land, and that case is currently before the court,” the official said.
“The vehicle itself was seized for illegal work carried out inside a reserve forest, and the Munnar DFO is slated to issue a final decision on the matter. If the order is favourable to the owner, he can reclaim the vehicle; otherwise, it will be confiscated by the government. The owner has the right to challenge the seizure decision. Two years ago, when they approached the court to reclaim the vehicle, they were directed to submit an ₹18-lakh bond, but they never followed up,” the added.
The BriefWire