Mob storms forest office at Kali Reserve

An irate mob stormed the forest office and held up its mid-level officer beyond midnight apparently angry over the strong enforcement of rules by the Karnataka Forest Department (KFD) at the Kali Tiger Reserve in Dandeli, Uttara Kannada.

The incident, even as the brutal murder of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Madan Nayak by an irate mob in 2012 is still fresh in the minds of the public, happened on Tuesday night and went on till the early hours of Wednesday after the forest officials arrested a group of seven youngsters for illegally trespassing into the protected area. The youths were also caught red-handed drinking in the forest area.

The mob even got away brazenly with the arrested youngsters, hailing from Dharwad and Uttara Kannada.

Basavaraj Patil, field director of Kali Tiger Reserve, told DH that higher officials of the department have been informed about the incident.

"The mob had held up our RFO until late midnight in his office. We have alerted the police, who have provided us with protection. In fact, I have personally communicated the same to the Superintendent of Police, Uttara Kannada, and sought protection."

Sources in the KFD revealed to DH that the incident was reported from Kiravatti in the Kumbarawada Wildlife Range of the tiger reserve. The forest staffers rounded up the youth and brought them to the RFO's office for questioning.