Tourists from Sankeshwar allege that Goa forest officials assaulted and extorted money from them while visiting Sural Falls near Belagavi. The officials reportedly beat them and extorted ₹9,000. The incident raises concerns about the safety of visitors to the falls, with accusations of routine extortion and misconduct by forest department staff.
Tourists from Karnataka’s Sankeshwar have accused officials of the Goa forest department of assaulting them and extorting hefty amounts from their purses while visiting the popular cascading Sural Falls near Belagavi. The incident reportedly occurred near Kanakumbi in Khanapura Taluk, where Sural Falls, also known as the "Venezuela of Karnataka," is located. As the rainy season begins, the picturesque waterfall attracts many tourists from Karnataka. However, recent visitors have faced unexpected hostility.
According to the allegations, forest department officials have been capitalizing on the influx of tourists by extorting money and resorting to physical violence. Five youths from Sankeshwar in Hukkeri taluk reported being beaten with sticks on their backs, legs, and hands. They claimed that the forest staff not only assaulted them but also took money from their wallets, extorting a total of ₹9,000 through online payment.
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The tourists accused the officials of routinely targeting visitors to the falls, constantly assaulting and extorting money for various reasons. The Sural Waterfall police and forest department officials have been implicated in these accusations of extortion and misconduct.
This incident has raised concerns about the safety and security of tourists visiting Sural Falls, a popular destination on the Karnataka-Goa border.