FIR registered against five including RFO, DRFO

Madikeri: Following a complaint from the wife of a Forest Department contract employee, who died under mysterious circumstances, Kutta Police have registered an FIR against five persons including two  Forest Officers.

FIR has been registered against Kodagu’s Kallahalla Range Forest Officer (RFO) Rajashekar, Deputy Range Forest Officer (DRFO) Venugopal, Department staff Shivu, Abhi and Prakash under Section 105, 211 and 213 by Kutta Police, who are investigating.

Incident: The deceased, identified as Gopala, who had been serving as a driver on contract basis since 25 years, left for work on May 22, along with other staff during which the vehicle reportedly met with an accident and Gopala, who had sustained severe injuries, was admitted to a hospital in Mysuru.

As Gopala had sustained serious injuries he was kept under observation in an ICU for 72 hours and later, he was brought to his home. Again on May 26, Gopala was taken to the hospital for treatment. But Gopala died on June 12 at his home. But post-mortem was not conducted as per the rules of the Forest Department and the Forest Officers allegedly performed the last rites of Gopala.

Meanwhile, Gopala’s wife, alleging that though the accident took place on May 22, the Forest officials had not lodged a complaint at the Police Station and had not informed his wife or children about the accident nor did the Forest Department provided adequate treatment resulting in his (Gopala) death, lodged a complaint at Kutta Police Station.

Based on the complaint, Kutta Police have registered a case on June 14.