PCCF suspends Maddur RFO over alcohol incident in Bandipur

Mysuru: After a photo of three people consuming alcohol in the core area of Bandipur Tiger Reserve went viral on social media a few days ago, PCCF suspended Maddur range RFO Puneet Kumar on charges of dereliction of duty pending departmental inquiry.

A release from the office of the principal chief conservator of forests (head of forest force) stated that it was reported that on June 5, three individuals illegally entered a prohibited forest area in the Maddur range of Bandipur Tiger Reserve and consumed alcohol, as seen on social media.

Assistant forest conservator of Gundlupet sub-division submitted a report, including a mahazar copy, site photographs and a related wildlife offence report (WLOR), to the chief wildlife warden of Karnataka. It was observed that the RFO of Maddur range failed to record the names of the suspects identified in the photographs, which is a clear violation of rules.

A case has been registered against Mahadevprasad, 38, from Hangala village in Gundlupete taluk, Gangadhar, 50, from Gundlupet town, and Chetan, 33, from Kaggala village. The accused are absconding, and measures have been taken to trace and detain them, it stated.