Hyderabad, Aug 12 (PTI) A forest beat officer was electrocuted after coming into contact with a live-wire trap allegedly set by poachers to kill wildlife in Telangana’s Bhadradri Kothagudem district, officials said on Wednesday.
A case was registered under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the incident, which occurred late on Tuesday night, a senior police official said.
Expressing anguish over the death of forest beat officer B Naveen, 37, State Forest Minister Konda Surekha ordered a comprehensive inquiry by forest and police officials and directed them to ensure stringent action against those responsible.
After receiving information about electric snares laid in the forest near Nakirepeta village, Naveen and other forest personnel went to the area on Tuesday afternoon and removed the traps, officials said.
Later that evening, Naveen received another tip-off about electric traps being set up in the area.
He, along with three other forest officials, went there to investigate, but came into contact with an 11-kV live wire and suffered a fatal electric shock, they said.
“It was dark in the area, and the beat officer accidentally came into contact with the electric trap and was electrocuted. He was shifted to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead,” the police official said.
The electric trap had allegedly been set by hunters to kill wildlife, police said. Naveen was a native of Karepally mandal in Khammam district.
Surekha conveyed her condolences to the bereaved family and directed forest officials to take measures to ensure the safety of personnel deployed on duty.
She termed Naveen’s death while on duty “unfortunate” and directed Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Vinay Kumar to provide ex-gratia assistance to his family and a government job to one of his family members, an official release said.
State Panchayat Raj Minister Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka) condoled the death of the forest beat officer and appealed to people not to hunt wild animals or set up electric traps.
Bhadradri Kothagudem District Forest Officer Siddarth Vikram Singh said a detailed investigation was under way to ascertain how the electric snare was laid, the source of electricity, the identity of those responsible and the intended hunting activity.
The inquiry would determine whether any organised or habitual wildlife hunting was involved, he said.
Those found responsible for laying the illegal electric snare would face strict action under the applicable provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, forest laws and other relevant legislation, he said.
The Forest Department expressed its grief and condolences to Naveen’s family.
The department would stand by his family and extend all possible assistance and support admissible under government rules and welfare provisions, it said. PTI VVK SJR VVK SSK
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