In 1972, a high number Jenukurubas and Yerawas were reportedly evicted from the Nagarhole National Park without their consent and without compensation just after the passing of the Wildlife Protection Act (WLPA) in 1972, the first wildlife law that bans every activity within the park, denying the local communities access and use of their customary forest rights[1].  A total number of 3,418 families were allegedly displaced between the 70s and 80s[2] very far from any forest areas. When the park was declared Tiger reserve, a new round of relocation started in 1999 and lasted until 2010. An additional 487 tribal families were evicted or displaced out of the Park[3]. 

In January 2014, another village of 28 Jenu Kuruba families were allegedly forcibly evicted to resettle some 100 kms away in Hebbala resettlement centre.[4] Several Jenukuruba families who had been evicted from their forest villages have made several attempts to go back on their ancestral lands in the Park they but would have been beaten and harassed whenever they attempted such a comeback[5].

In the last three decades, indigenous communities have faced a huge amount of death threats, harassment, false criminal charges  aimed at silencing their leaders and stopping them from organising themselves for their rights. Some members and leaders of Budakattu Krishikara Sangha have had to live with the spectre of long prison sentences hanging over them.[6][7][8]. 

In 2021 a Jenu Kuruba man living near Nagarhole, was shot by forest officials in retaliation for defending his sister when she was harassed by the guards.^[9]  In 2022, another Jenu Kuruba Kariyappa, died in custody allegedly due to the torture by forest staff at Nagarahole Tiger Reserve Range Forest Office in N Beguru [10]. In 2023, Maasti, another Jenu Kuruba tribe was allegedly executed by forest rangers while he went fishing[11]. In the last few years at least 8 Indigenous persons have reportedly shot dead by the Forest Dept officials without criminal conviction in any of these cases nor any compensation to the families^[12]. 

Jenu Kurubas are prevented visiting their burial grounds and sacred places in the forest^[13]. The Kuruba’s have long worshipped their sacred deity “Doddamma thai’ and ‘Kureche wodeya’ inside the forests. On 19th May, 2022, around ten families from Hebbala and Shetthalli centres decided to offer their prayer and conduct rituals to their sacred deities inside the Nagarhole forests.  The Jenu Kurubas were stopped at the DB Kuppe check gate by the forest department guards and officials[14].