Action recommended against senior Indian Forest Service Officer Y. Chakrapani

Chamarajanagar: More than a week after the shocking deaths of five tigers — a tigress and her four cubs — in Karnataka’s Male Mahadeshwara (M.M.) Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Forest Minister Eshwar B. Khandre has suspended two officials for dereliction of duty and recommended action against a senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer.

The action follows a preliminary inquiry that found serious administrative lapses, including non-payment of salaries and allowances to outsourced frontline staff, which severely hampered patrolling efforts in the Sanctuary’s Hoogyam Range, where the tigers were found dead.

Range Forest Officer (RFO) Madesh, who also served as a Surveyor, and Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Gajanan Hegde have been suspended.

The suspension order was issued by Geetha M. Patil, Deputy Secretary, Department of Forests, Wildlife and Environment. Additionally, Assistant Range Forest Officer (ARFO) Veeresh Kattimani and Beat Forest Guard Madhusudhan have been sent on compulsory leave by Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) T. Hiralal of Chamarajanagar Circle.

As the Divisional Conservator of Forests (DCF) Y. Chakrapani, is an IFS officer, the State Government has forwarded a proposal to the Centre’s Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms seeking disciplinary proceedings.

The tragedy, which came to light in late June, was traced to a retaliatory poisoning incident. A local resident, whose cow was killed by the tigress, allegedly poisoned the carcass along with two others. The tigress and her cubs consumed the meat and died. All three accused have been arrested.

What the probe report says

A High-level Committee led by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) Kumar Pushkar was constituted on June 27 to probe the incident. The panel, comprising APCCF Shrinivasulu (Wildlife), CCF Hiralal, National Tiger Conservation Authority Assistant Inspector General of Forests (AIGF) Harini Venugopal, wildlife expert Dr. Sanjay Gubbi and Dr. Shashidhar (Mysuru Zoo), submitted its preliminary findings on July 3.

The report noted that though funds were released at the end of April 2025, officers failed to ensure the timely disbursal of wages to Watchers. “Even the March 2025 dues were ignored, despite repeated reminders. There were unjustifiable delays in submitting wage bills to the Treasury for April and May,” the report said. Outsourced staff had staged a protest on June 23 over pending payments.

The probe confirmed that the tigers died in a retaliatory killing, highlighting the urgent need to control cattle grazing inside the protected area. “The presence of non-local cattle must be banned immediately. A review of local grazing rights and compensation mechanisms must be undertaken, along with awareness drives for villagers on existing compensation provisions,” the report recommended.