Surekha Promises Tough Crackdown On Forest Case Offenders

Surekha, addressing the Forest Martyrs Day event at the Nehru Zoological Park, said the government will also take steps to ensure that benefits provided to families of police personnel who lose their lives in the line of duty, will be made available to families of forest department staff who face such losses.

Recalling that 22 officials of the forest department lost their lives in the state since 1984, Surekha lauded the hard work of department officials and staff and in protecting forests and wildlife in the state. Protecting forests, she said, also requires public support, and the department was taking assistance from the police department to prevent and stop timber smuggling and other forest offences.

“After formation of Telangana, 2,181 vehicles have been provided to forest officials, and efforts have been stepped up to develop grasslands and water sources in forests to help wildlife, while at the same time compensation for loss of human lives in conflict with wildlife has been increased from `5 lakh to `10 lakh,” she said.

Director General of Police Jithender said the efforts of forest officials to protect forests and wildlife were not just about forests but also about ensuring a better environment for future generations. Among the others who addressed the Forest Martyrs Day were chief secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, and principal secretary forests Ahmed Nadeem. The minister and the officials offered floral tributes at a pylon in the zoo with the names of all the 22 forest martyrs.

- 22 forest officials of various ranks lost their lives in state since 1984

- Only one death, that of a forest section officer, was attributed to an attack by a wild animal, a sloth bear, in 1998.

- The other 21 deaths due to attacks by naxalites, timber smugglers, forest encroachers

Forest offences from 2014-15 to 2025-26 (up to July-25) in Telangana

96,813 timber smuggling cases

18,002 vehicles seized

10,375 forest encroachment cases

Between 2018-2025, forest officials assaulted 49 times in state, 58 officials injured

Forest Martyrs

Year – Name – Rank – Reason for death – District/Area

1984 – Md. Akbar Ali – Forest section officer – Killed by Naxalites - Kamareddy

1984 – K. Padma Rao – Forest beat officer – Killed by Naxalites, timber smugglers - Karimnagar

1987 – G. Narsa Reddy – Forest range officer – Shot dead by Naxalites - Nirmal

1987 – Soleman Raj – Forest beat officer – Killed by timber smugglers, who also killed two others helping the officer – Kothagudem

1988 – Shaik Hyder – Forest beat officer – Killed by timber smugglers – Jannaram wildlife sanctuary

1989 – Ghouse Mohiuddin – Forest beat officer – Shot dead by Naxalites – Adilabad

1990 – A. Kondal Rao – Forest range officer – Shot dead by Naxalites – Kagaznagar

1990 – V. Srihari – Forest section officer – Killed by Naxalites – Warangal

1991 – Sadiq Hussain – Forest beat officer – Killed by timber smugglers – Mancherial

1995 – Mirza Taqui Baig – Deputy range officer – Killed by timber smugglers – Mancherial

1996 – R. Lakshminarayana – Assistant beat officer – Killed by timber smugglers – Karimnagar

1998 – Ch. Narahari – Forest beat officer – Killed by timber smugglers – Karimnagar

1998 – T. Rana Pratap Singh – Forest section officer – Killed by a sloth bear – Achampet

2001 – P. Rajamouli – Forest beat officer – Died in Naxalite attack on nearby police station – Warangal

2006 – C. Jacob – Forest beat officer – Timber smuggler ran vehicle the FBO was in off road, resulting in death – Achampet

2006 – N. Rama Murthy – Forest beat officer – Died after timber logs being retrieved fell on him after which he fell into Godavari river next to which the illegally felled timber was stored – Bharachalam

2007 – A. Chandrabhan – Forest beat officer – Died after seized timber logs fell on him during retrieval operation – Nirmal

2009 – B. Manthya – Forest beat officer – Killed by Multhani timber smugglers – Adilabad

2010 – B. Shivalal – Forest beat officer – Killed by timber smugglers who later burnt his body – Medak

2011 – T. Satyanarayana – Forest beat officer (contract worker) – Killed by timber smugglers – Nirmal

2013 – R. Gangaiah - Forest range officer – Killed by forest encroachers – Kamareddy

2022 – Ch. Srinivasa Rao – Forest range officer – Killed by Guttikoya forest encroachers – Bhadradri Kothagudem