Pesticides Used In Mass Tiger Deaths in MM Hills Sanctuary, DCF, 3 Others Suspended
Khandre said a recommendation has been made to the officials of Personnel and Administrative Reforms over the suspension of DCF, ACF, RFO and Dy RFO asked to initiate further steps.
Bengaluru: The preliminary report of the high-level inquiry committee probing mass tiger deaths in Male Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary of Chamarajanagar district revealed use of insecticide to poison a tigress and her four cubs. The patrolling forest personnel of the MM Hills Sanctuary came across a tigress and her four cubs dead at Gajanur beat of Hoogyam range on June 26.
Acting on the report, Minister of Forests and Environment Eshwar Khandre on Friday stated to have placed Deputy Conservator of Forests Y. Chakrapani, ACF Gajanna Hegde, RFO Madesh and Dy RFO under suspicion. Earlier, these officials were sent on compulsory leave on charge of dereliction of duty.
Khandre said a recommendation has been made to the officials of Personnel and Administrative Reforms over the suspension of DCF, ACF, RFO and Dy RFO asked to initiate further steps.
A high-level inquiry committee was constituted by the Minister under Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, APCCF Wildlife, Chief Conservator of Forests, Chamarajanagar circle, representative of National Tiger Conservation Authority, veterinary officer belonging to Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Mysuru and independent wildlife expert Sanjay Gubbi. The Committee was directed to submit a comprehensive report within 14-days.
The preliminary report pointed out the reason for the mass killings of tigers was over ‘retaliation’ to a cattle kill by accused persons identified as Konnappa, Madaraju and Nagaraj, all residents of Koppa in the vicinity of MM Hills.
The report said the accused persons stuffed insecticide inside a wound of the dead cow and tigress aged 11 years and her four cubs about 11 months consumed the cow meat leading to their deaths. The poison was stuffed inside the dead cow wound on July 22 by the accused person and the tiger deaths are said to have occurred on Tuesday.