Tribal man shot at by forest staff; activists demand probe

MYSURU: A tribal man was allegedly shot at by forest staff at a tribal hamlet near Bylakuppe in Mysuru district. Basava (37), a resident of Ranigate Jenu Kuruba hamlet in Periyapatna taluk, is now being treated at KR Hospital in the city.

While the forest department staff claim that he was chased and shot at for illegally chopping off a sandalwood tree, villagers and tribal activists argue that the authorities were trying to frame him in a false case. According to a complaint filed by the victim’s wife Pushpa at the Bylakuppe police station on Wednesday night, a copy of which is available with TNIE, she has accused forest watcher Subramani of opening fire while three others, including Mahesh, Sidda and forest guard Manju were present.

On hearing the gunshots, people from the hamlet gathered at the spot following which forest guard Manju shifted Basava to a hospital in Kushalnagar. As the bullet had gone deep, he was shifted to KR Hospital in Mysuru for treatment. Pushpa, in her complaint, has alleged that the four forest staffers and Basava had a clash a month back when he objected to forest staff who tried to chop off a silver oak tree near his house.

“After this incident, they had threatened to teach him a lesson and were nursing a grudge against him,” she said in her complaint. Meanwhile, the Forest Department lodged a complaint against Basava, based on the testimony of the forest staff, at Bylakuppe police station. The police have registered an FIR against him under IPC Sections 379, 506, 353, 332, 307 and under Karnataka Forest Act 86 and 87. Superintendent of Police R Chethan confirmed to TNIE that an FIR was registered based on the complaint of Forest Department staff and the statement of the injured person was already taken.

However, tribal activists, including Dr Mahendra Kumar, project director of Green India Trust, actor and Adivasi activist Chethan Ahimsa, expressed ire against authorities for not registering an FIR against the forest staff based on the victim’s wife’s complaint. Meanwhile, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve director and DCF Mahesh Kumar on Thursday issued a press statement stating that the forest staff, based on a tip-off, went to catch three person who were chopping a sandalwood tree near near Cauvery block CPT-1 reserve forest early on Wednesday when the miscreants attacked the forest staff.

“In self defence, the staff opened fire and Basava was injured while two others, Dileep and Satish, are absconding,” he stated. However, villagers including J D Jayappa, secretary of Budakattu Krishikara Sangha, said that Basava had attended a meeting and had even posed for a group photo at 10.21 am on Wednesday, as it was needed to open a bank account.

“A few minutes after this, he was shot by the forest staff, that too not inside the forest, but next to the main road where no sandalwood tree is found,” they said. They also claimed to have a video of forest staff placing sandalwood logs for the police inspection to frame Basava. Meanwhile, actor Chethan and others met Deputy Commissoner Bagadi Gautham, SP R Chethan and requested them to lodge a case. “We demand a detailed probe and appropriate action must be taken against the wrongdoers,” he said.