Bengaluru: Forest minister intervenes, BBP workers call off strike

Bengaluru: Workers from the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) called off their strike on Saturday after the Forest Minister B. Ramanath Rai intervened and assured them that action will be taken against the police officers who harassed the forest officials.

Around 200 to 300 workers, who continued their strike on Saturday morning demanding the suspension of police sub-inspector Narendra Babu of the Bannerghatta police station, withdrew the strike around 11:30 am and returned to their duties.

BBP Executive Director Santhosh Kumar met Mr Rai and apprised him of the details of the case and the harassment meted out to him by the police.

Mr Suresh used the opportunity to request the minister for regularising the employment of contract employees, who have been working at the park for more than 25 years. The minister said that he would consider the request.

Visitors and tourists started coming to the popular park after the news broke that the strike had been called off. Apart from the strike, students’ exams too could be the reason behind the low turnout, a worker said.

Mohan Raj, who lodged the complaint against forest officials at the Bannerghatta police station, alleged that he knew how forest officials would conduct an internal investigation on the leopard escape row.

“The case is registered and the investigation is underway. Forest officers have come up with some allegation that they were harassed by the police. We will probe into that and if their allegations turn true, we will take action against those officers,” said Arun Chakravarthy IGP, Central Range.