Madikeri: As if trouble in Diddali tribal hamlet is far from over, an unidentified person opened fire at the tribal colony during wee hours of Wednesday. However, no casualties have been reported in the incident as no tribals were out in open when the bike-borne, armed miscreant went on a firing spree. By the time the tribals could wake up and rush out of their houses, the miscreant, who was donning a jerkin had fled the spot. Some live bullets were found at the spot where the miscreants may have fired from and these bullets have been handed over to the police.

Petrified by the incident, the tribals remained awake through the night and guarded the colony.

Over the last four months the tribals from Diddalli have been fighting for houses after forest department suddenly pulled down their houses on lame grounds, without citing any valid reason.

The protests were withdrawn with promise from the government that a solution will be evolved soon and eventually Diddalli had returned to normalcy. However the firing incident has unleash a sense of fear among the trial residents here who feel that the act may have been orchestrated to scare them away. The incident has taken place merely a day after the Chief Minister of Karnataka promised to send Revenue Minister to Kodagu to study the Diddalli crisis and suggest solution for the same.

The plight of the people living in Diddalli tribal colony is pathetic. It has been raining here and the so called temporary ‘houses’ of the tribals built after having lost their pukka houses have been leaking heavily compelling them to live on wetland literally. But, the tribals are of the opinion that they are ready to face all odds to get permanent houses for themselves on the same land.

A case has been registered.