Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Mar 21: A person who informed a forest official about the illegal killing of an unknown animal was detained by the forest official, at Neralekatte, here on Saturday, March 21, triggering protests from locals.

It is learnt that an unknown animal was killed in Bijri forest area near Karkunje in Kundapur taluk on March 19 night. Suku, an auto rickshaw driver found intestines of the animal, dung and a bullet in Bijri forest.

The matter came to light on March 20 when Suku narratd the incident to a local named Srinivasa Ganiga who in turn informed the forest officials. However, the forest department officials took custody of Srinivasa instead of probing the incident. The behaviour of the officials created a tense atmosphere in Bijri for sometime and locals protested against the officials over Srinivasa's detention

Local MLA Gopal Poojary came to the spot and tried to dilute the situation.

Suku, an auto rickshaw driver was ferrying children to school at about 9 am on March 20. When his auto reached Bijri Hilkodu, blood stains were found on the road. Suku stopped his vehicle and followed the trail of blood stains, which led him inside the forest where a heap of intestines and dung was found. Suku looked around and also found a bullet on the spot. Suku then took the bullet and came to Neralekatte market and explained the matter to the locals.

Srinivasa Ganiga then took the bullet and approached the forest department office at 5 pm on Friday March 20 and described the incident. Strangely though, forest official’s jeep came to the residence of Srinivasa Ganiga at 6 am on March 21, and he was asked to sit in the jeep. When Srinivasa refused to get in saying that he had committed no crime, he was forcibly taken away by the forest officials, it is alleged.

As the news spread, people gathered on the road and stopped the officials' jeep from proceeding. They expressed their anguish against the forest officials for coming forward to take custody of those who give information instead of tracking down those who killed the animal. The heated argument between locals and forest officials made the matter worse. Considering the gravity of the situation, local MLA Gopal Poojary and taluk panchayat president Bhaskar Billava arrived and tried to bring the situation under control.

MLA Gopal Poojary who reviewed the situation, expressed regret at the stand of the forest officials and told them to first find out which animal was killed and the circumstances of its death. He also told them not to consider the person who gave information about the incident as a suspect.

Srinivasa was then let off by the officials.

Meanwhile, the animal that was shot dead has still not been identified. Its remains have been sent for forensic tests. Locals expressed suspicions that the animal might have been killed for meat.