Tiger deaths: Karnataka govt suspends MM Hills DCF

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Monday issued an order suspending Y Chakrapani, an IFS officer, over the death of the five tigers in the Male Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, reported on June 26.

Chakrapani was the deputy conservator of forests, MM Hills division, when a female tiger and her four cubs were killed by poisoning, just about 900 metres away from an anti-poaching camp (APC) in Hoogyam Range. The government had then set up a high level committee headed by a senior officer to look into the matter. The forest department had recommended his suspension on July 4.

The committee reported that salaries of the outsourced staff working on the frontline of the division, including those at the APC, were not paid for the months of March, April and May. The committee met the staffers of the Ulkinabetta and Maralli camps of Hoogyam range and heard their grievances who said they were not paid for the work done in March, April, May and June.

It can be recalled that DH had on June 26 reported about the non-payment of salaries to the staff. The committee confirmed that the salary for the three months were not paid. A protest against non-payment was held in front of the division office on June 23 by the watchers in the APC of MM Hills, Palar and Ramapura ranges.

Verification of files showed that the RFOs had cleared the bills for April and May and submitted the same to the DCF office on June 24. Payment to the contractor was made only on July 1, 2025. The non-payment had led to an economic crisis.

"They (staffers) all have been taking loans from local sources at high interest rates for the survival of their families. But they also told that they have been doing their duty sincerely and patrolling the areas assigned to them as per the instructions of their seniors," the preamble to the government order said, quoting the report.

The government stated that the officers have failed in their basic duty of ensuring timely payment of wages to watchers, even though the funds were made available at the end of April 2025. "The state government is prima facie satisfied that it is necessary to place Chakrapani Y, IFS under suspension with immediate effect, pending inquiry," the order said.