Temple devotees at Mathikere were up in arms after news that a cobra near the temple was chopped to bits by a team of tree cutters from Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
Though the incident happened a month ago, videos of the snake – wriggling in two parts – went viral on Thursday.
According to officials of the BBMP Forest Cell, the area corporator Mamata Vasudev had requested the cutting of a weak branch of a banyan tree in the temple premises near J.P. Park. On June 28, a team of workers engaged by the BBMP arrived to take down the “weak” branch. However, unbeknownst to them, a cobra was lurking in one of the crevices of the branches.
It was only after the branch was chopped and laid to the ground that the writhing snake was seen. A few days later, the forest cell was informed by residents of the area and they filed a complaint with the Jalahalli Police on July 4 against the corporator and her husband who oversaw the cutting.
“It is entirely accidental as the team did not know the snake was in the crevice of the tree. But, as the snake is protected under the Wildlife Act, we had to file a complaint,” said Shivappa, Forester at BBMP’s Rajarajeshwari Nagar zone who filed the complaint.
He said the branch had become weak and had liable to fall in heavy rains or strong gusts seen during the monsoons. Moreover, permission of the temple had been taken to chop the branch, he said.
However, on Thursday, news of the snake – which is revered at the temple – spread in the area and a large number of residents gathered seeking action against the corporator.
Ms. Vasudev said she had “done her duty” as a corporator by passing on a public request to the forest department. “Neither I nor my husband was at the sight when the BBMP team were cutting the branches. It is an inadvertent mistake from the team. However, by blaming me, the BBMP has made it clear that they will harass non-Congress corporators,” she said, adding that her complaint against the BBMP team had not been “considered” by the police.
