Villages on the fringes of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary were tense, but calm on Friday, a day after several camps and four-wheelers of the Department of Forests were attacked following the shooting of a suspected poacher there.
The last rites of S. Gurumurthy (23) at Dodda Allahalli saw hundreds of people turn up. The police had to use force to disperse the crowd. Gurumurthy was shot dead at by Forest officials on Wednesday night on the suspicion that he was part of a gang of poachers.
The Sathnur police have filed four cases in connection with the shooting and the violence that followed around the Uyyamballi area. A murder case has been filed against a Deputy Range Forest Officer and others who were part of the team that shot at Gurumurthy and his group of around five people. Meanwhile, two cases of assault have been filed after villagers gheraoed and threw stones at the police as well as Forest officials in separate instances.
A criminal case has also been filed after department offices were set on fire. “There have been no arrests so far, and we are investigating the cases,” said a senior police officer.
As anger seethed on Thursday, camps and offices of the department came under attack.
“As per our reports, three anti-poaching camps have been ransacked, a vehicle has been pelted with stones, and a forest check-post has been set on fire. Our front-line staff were assaulted, but they escaped with minor injuries ... the investigation into the incident has to happen as per the law,” said B.P. Ravi, Chief Conservator of Forests (Chamarajanagar).
Wildlife activists are on the side of Forest officials. In a statement, seven of the State’s prominent activists and researchers have said a 1990 Government Order allows patrolling Forest officials to shoot in self-defence, and such cases must be probed by a magistrate before a police investigation is taken up.
Believing there was a concerted attempt to undermine the department, they have sought protection for Forest personnel.
