Mysuru: The Police has registered an FIR against against 17 forest department officers including a Range Forest Officer in connection with death of a tribal man in the District on Thursday October 13.
It is said that the Forest Department arrested 3 tribal accused from Hosahalli Hadi on the charge of illegally selling deer meat. A person in their custody died and the tribals alleged that it was murder. In this regard, a case of murder and illegal detention has been registered against 17 forest department personnel including RFO and DRFO of Gundre Forest Zone in Antharsante Police Station.
Three persons namely Prasad, Muniyappa and Kariappa of Hosahalli Hadi of Gundre Forest Sector were arrested three days ago in connection with the sale of deer meat. In this, a man named Kariappa (41) was detained on Monday October 10 and he became seriously ill. Later, he was admitted to KR Hospital in Mysuru for further treatment but the treatment failed and he died.
Subsequently, tribesmen of various Haadis (colony) have protested in front of the Forest Department Office to investigate the matter. The protest was withdrawn after an FIR was registered against the forest officer and staff at the police station.
Gundre Forest Zone RFO Amritesh, DRFO Karthik Yadav, staff members Anand, Baahubali, Ramu, Shekaraiah, Sadashiva, Manju, Umesh, Sanjay, Rajanayak, Sushma, Mahadevi, Ayyappa, and Somesekhar are the arrested in connection with the case of murder and alleged illegal detention. A case has also been registered against Tangamani and Siddique Pasha at Antharsante Police Station.
Kariappa’s son, Satish alleged that the Forest Department Officer and staff came to the house on night of Monday and dragged him and his sister, insulted him and threatened to show him where his father is. He said they have threatened to shoot him along with his family, pour petrol and burn the house.
On the same day at 2.30 in the afternoon, father Kariappa, who had gone to forest, was dragged away by the Forest Department. At 6.30 pm on Tuesday October 11, DRFO Karthik Yadav called one of his relatives, Ravi, and asked him to take Kariappa. When Ravi went and saw, Kariappa was seriously ill due to the torture given by the Forest Department. Ravi then refused to bring him home. Satish explained in the complaint that the Forest Department took my father to Mysuru.
HD Kote Tahasildar Ratnambika reached the mortuary in Mysuru on Thursday October 13 and got information about the death of a tribal person who was in the custody of Forest Department personnel.
Speaking to mediapersons she said she didn’t have much information about the case. I have come on the instructions of the Sub-Divisional Officer to console the family of the deceased and get details about the incident. But there is no one from the family of the deceased or from the Forest Department. She said that if the post-mortem examination confirms that Kariappa died due to assault, legal action will be initiated.
