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Sandalwood poacher shot dead at Bannerghatta Park

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

The man who was shot dead by forest personnel at Bannerghatta Biological Park in Bangalore on Friday.

BANGALORE: Forest personnel shot dead an alleged sandalwood poacher and injured his accomplice when they were felling sandalwood trees in Bannerghatta Biological Park safari area on Friday. This is the first time that a sandalwood poacher has been killed in Bangalore city.

The two were part of a six-member gang belonging to Tamil Nadu which had gained entry to the tiger safari area by scaling the compound wall around 2 a.m.

Alerted by the hacking sound, Forest Department guards came upon the armed gang which was cutting the precious trees.

The guards asked the gang to leave but were threatened with sickles and machetes, upon which one of the guards opened fire with his single barrelled gun.

While Velan (30), who was hit in the neck, died on the spot, his accomplice, Kulakeshan (25), has been admitted to National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences with bullet injuries in his head and leg. His condition is said to be critical.

The remaining members of the gang managed to escape.

“Some of them tried to overpower us,” said Nagaraj, a watcher who was on guard duty.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Forest Cell) M.C. Narayana Gowda said the gang members appear to have gained entry through the porous portion of the tiger safari facing Anekal town. “They came here 20 days ago and tried to cut sandalwood trees,” he said and added that the gang members were armed with machetes, saws and sickles. He said they had cut six sandalwood trees by the time they were spotted.

The State Police Forest Cell, which has commenced investigation, is yet to trace the remaining gang members. “We also suspect the involvement of some local persons. We are yet to get clues,” Mr. Gowda said.

Forest officials are taken aback by the brazenness of the gang in entering and felling trees in the safari area. “On some days, tigers do not come back to their cages and they stay put in the safari. Thankfully on Thursday night they were all back in their cages,” said a forest official, who did not want to be named. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden I.B. Srivastava said: “This incident definitely points to the need to increase security at the safari. This includes increasing the height of the compound wall around the safari and undertaking solar fencing. Staff shortage also should be resolved.”

Mr. Srivastava said he would raise these issues at the governing council meeting of the Zoo Authority of Karnataka, which oversees the operations of the Bannerghatta Biological Park.

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