Bengaluru : The minister’s comments followed the villagers’ killing of a leopard in the presence of Raichur regional forest personnel. He formally requested an investigation into the alleged negligence of responsible forest officers in a letter to the additional chief secretary of the Department of Forest. He stressed the importance of holding accountable those found responsible and ensuring appropriate action.
The minister instructed the additional chief secretary to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident and submit a detailed report promptly. He underscored the need for accountability and swift measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
For three months, the leopard had been seen in Karadigudda village, causing fear among residents. Despite repeated reports and appeals from villagers to the forest department for the capture or relocation of the leopard, no effective action was taken. Villagers had urged officials to either trap the animal or find an alternative solution to address the threat.
On Sunday, the leopard attacked four people, prompting villagers armed with sticks and stones to venture into the forest in search of the animal. In the ensuing chaos, the leopard was killed while police and forest personnel attempted to control the situation to protect the animal.
The incident, occurring in the presence of forest department personnel, has brought attention to significant shortcomings in wildlife management and public safety response by the department.
Raichur’s Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) B Praveen informed HT that following the state forest minister’s directives, Chief Conservator of Forests Sunil Panvel visited the site on Monday to gather details about the incident. He will conduct an investigation into the circumstances of the leopard’s killing and ascertain the roles of the involved officers. Upon completion of the investigation, he will submit a report to the state forest department secretary.