SARLAHI: Forest staffers, who had gone to vacate encroached land under the Sagarnath Forest Development Project at Tekani in Rajghat VDC, today fired around 100 rounds in the air after encroachers stopped them from carrying out their work.

According to Shekhar Yadav, forest officer, forest staffers fired six tear gas shells and at least 100 rounds in the air after the squatters attempted to stop the staffers from

destroying crops cultivated by encroachers in the project area, which is spared for tree plantation.

KP Oli, Police Inspector, Area Poclie office Rajghat, said the police also fired 8/10 tear gas shells to disperse the mob.

About 4 hundred hectres of project land has been encroached in Karmaiya, Shankarpur, Ghurkuli and Rajghat area.