Telangana forest officer killed in attack by cattle-grazing tribals: officials
Chandrugonda forest range officer Srinivas Rao suffered severe injuries in the attack at the Errabolu plantation in Bendalapadu and succumbed on the way to hospital.
Chandrugonda forest range officer C Srinivasa Rao suffered severe injuries in the attack and succumbed on the way to the hospital, officials said. (File) A forest officer in Telangana’s Bhadradri Kothagudem district was killed while, along with other officials, trying to evict tribals illegally grazing cattle on forest plantations on Tuesday.
Chandrugonda forest range officer Srinivas Rao suffered severe injuries in the attack at the Errabolu plantation in Bendalapadu village and succumbed on the way to hospital at noon, officials said, adding that the attackers were Gothikoya tribals. He is the first forest officer to have lost life in such an attack since the state formation.
Srinivas Rao was the recipient of KVS Babu state gold medal for forest protection in his range in the year 2021.
Bendalapadu and Maddukur villages have seen clashes between tribals and forest officials about podu (shifting cultivation) land in the past. However, R M Dobriyal, the state’s principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden, said that Tuesday’s was an unprovoked attack on the officer. “He was one of our best range officers. Along with staff, he was on a routine visit to forest areas where new operations are taken up. After explaining these to the staff and labourers, he was on his way back when the incident happened around noon,” he told indianexpress.com.
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