While the state government has ordered a CID inquiry into the attack on an assistant conservator of forests (ACF) of the Dandeli-Anshi tiger reserve, who paid with his life for merely doing his duty , wildlife conservationists have demanded arrest of the owner of the resort, Crocodile Valley which has allegedly been holding illegal 'crocodile shows' for tourists for years.
“We are shocked that the local police have not taken timely action or even booked a case against the ‘crocodile show’ that led to this tragedy. Since it is rumoured that an employee of the police department from Bagalkot was part of the group that assaulted the forest officer, a comprehensive and impartial inquiry into the incident is a must”, said Dr Ullas Karanth, noted tiger biologist and head of the Centre for Wildlife Studies.
Demanding the arrest of the organisers of the 'crocodile show, he said it was a matter of concern that such attacks by thugs on forest staff doing their duty were increasing all over the state of late. “It is critical that senior police and forest officials coordinate their work so that culprits who assault forest officers on duty are prosecuted. If not the morale of the forest staff will be affected across the state, leaving our precious forests open to pillage and loot”, he warned.
ACF Madan Nayak who was at the Dandelappa temple with his family on May 6, happened to see the revellers who reportedly included government officers and even some policemen, illegally feeding crocodiles from the banks of the Kali river. He immediately intervened, telling them to stop as feeding crocs is illegal, but the group of 10 or 15 allegedly brutally assaulted him instead. According to some reports they even used a boulder to hit him. As he collapsed, his wife and daughter who rushed to his help, were also assaulted. The badly injured officer was rushed to hospital, but died on May 8.
The four persons arrested for the incident, include Anand Nayak, an assistant executive engineer in KEB, businessmen Prashant Lamani, Suresh Nayak and Aravind Babu Chahwan. In her complaint, the ACF’s wife has also named Shailaja Nayak, a teacher in the Bhagavati high school , Bagalkot district and her mother Danabai Nayak, but both women are absconding, according to the police.