BBP workers call off strike, want SI suspended

The striking staff at the Bannerghatta Biological Park resumed their duty on Saturday on the condition that the sub-inspector who ‘detained’ the BBP officers should be suspended within 15 days.

The sub-inspector at Bannerghatta police station, M R Narendra Babu, had summoned the three officers to the police station to question them on the escape of a leopard which was caught in east Bengaluru and kept at BBP.

The action had come in the wake of a complaint filed by Mohan Raj, an environmentalist, accusing the three officers of negligence.

More than 300 zoo workers had struck work on Friday protesting the police action against three senior officials of the BBP - Executive Director Santhosh Kumar, Deputy Director Kushalappa and Range Forest Officer Bhagyalakshmi.

The park had remained closed for the day following the protest and the animals at the zoo were fed late.

Visitors had to return disappointed and according to Kumar, the Park suffered a loss of around Rs 2 lakh on account of its closure on Friday. Kumar, who met Ramanatha Rai, the Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology and other senior IFS officers on Saturday, spoke to the staff and asked them to resume work. Rai, who spoke to Home Minister G Parameshwara, requested the latter to hold an inquiry into the incident. The workers called off their strike at 11 am after Rai promised to provide justice and security.

IFS Officers’ Association president G Vidyasagar said that the minister had promised to resolve the issue at the earliest.

On Saturday, the park registered 2,849 visitors and collected Rs 5.6 lakh from the sale of tickets. The animals were fed on time on the day.

IFS officials point out that several IPS officers ask them for free safari rides at various wildlife parks across the State and when denied, they harass the staffers.