CHIKKAMAGALURU: Ms Suma Nagesh, convener of the Save Democracy Forum of Chikamagaluru, has urged President Pranab Mukherjee to order a probe into shooting of a tiger at Bhimgad sanctuary in Belagavi, alleging that “standard procedures laid down by the National Tiger Authority of India (NTCA) were not followed”.
Holding Mr Rana George, member of the Wildlife Conservation Board, and Mr Sanjay Gubbi, State Wildlife Board member, and some others, responsible for the death of the tiger, Ms Nagesh asked the NTCA to initiate action against them.
In a memorandum to the President on January 1, she alleged that Mr Rana George, who is also son of Home Minister K.J. George, and Mr Gubbi conducted unusual and useless experiments on the tiger by radio collaring it and leading to its death.
The tiger killed a woman at Pandaravalli village of Chikkamagaluru on November 15 last year. It was captured and later released at Bhimgad sanctuary, where it again attacked and killed a woman on December 24.
After a four-day operation to capture the tiger failed, forest officials, police and sharp shooters from Anti-Naxal Force shot the tiger dead on December 28.
Ms Nagesh said, “There are standard procedures issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority to deal with a tiger in emergency situations, but the forest department did not follow them. The Forest Department and state government failed to save the tiger.”
She also sought action against Forest Minister Ramanath Rai, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru, and Chief Conservator of Forests (wildlife), and others.
She stated in the memorandum that the tigers are forced to enter human habitats as unauthorised resorts are eating into buffer zones around the forests.
