FIR filed against three forest officials for the death of a coffee grower

Madikeri: Three forest department officials have been filed FIR after a coffee grower lost his life in an elephant attack in Siddapur taluk limits on January 22.

The deceased has been identified as Kukkunoor Mohandas, aged 68. Mohandas was a coffee grower. He was trampled to death by an elephant herd while returning back home after dropping his labourer in his estate.

An FIR has been filed against Kodagu Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Lingaraj, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Virajpete Forest Division) Maria Christaraj and Range Forest Officer (RFO) Gangadhar holding them responsible for Mohandas’s death.

According to the complaint, it was because of the negligence of the forest department officials in controlling the elephants. After the civil judge of Virajpet court permitted, the FIR was registered against the three.

Prukruthi Srivastsava, Director of Indian Wildlife Conservation organisation said that forest officials work in the most dangerous situations and sometimes end up losing their lives. Unfortunately, in this case, they have been cornered owing to the death of an elderly man.