Maha: Tribals stage protest over land rights in Thane

Tribals from Maharashtra's Thane district took out a protest march to the district collectorate on Tuesday to press for their demands regarding forest land rights.

Protestors carrying banners, placards and flags shouted slogans against the government and marched from Chintamani Chowk till the collectorate.

A delegation of protestors later submitted a memorandum to the sub-divisional officer listing their demands to be forwarded to the collector and chief minister.

Of 17,000 claims submitted by tribals in the district, 9,000 have been rejected by the authorities, one of the protesting tribal activists claimed.

Protestors also demanded a time-bound programme to resolve this issue and urged that the forest department personnel be stopped from razing dwellings of tribals.