Dr. K.A. Kushalappa, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Rtd.) in a letter to the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh about the State Government's indifference in protecting the beleaguered RFOs of Rajiv Gandhi National Park, Nagarahole, H. D. Kote Taluk. It was the night of the poacher. The poacher Parashi. It was also the night of the Range Forest Officer (RFO) N. Ravindra Kumar.

On the night of 26th July 2005, the D. B. Kuppe Wildlife Range, H. D. Kote taluk, which comes under the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, Nagarahole, Karnataka, received an information that about six people had entered the Udbur Forest, apparently for poaching. Duty - bound, RFO Ravindra Kumar, along with eight of his men, also entered the forest for night - patrolling, following this information. Around 11.15 in the night, they heard gunshots and intensified the patrolling through the night.

Around 2.10 am (on 27th early morning), the patrolling party saw flashlights in the dark, recognised them as poachers and shouted orders, asking them to put down the weapons and guns. To the utter surprise of the patrolling team, the poachers responded by firing at them, which fortunately hit the trees. Realizing the danger, the RFO Ravindra Kumar returned the fire, killing Parashi — who was hit in the head — on the spot. Parashi was an old poacher. An FIR was filed against him for illegal felling of teak trees and theft, under Karnataka Tree Preservation Act in 2002. Surprisingly, a charge sheet is yet to be filed against him. Small wonder why there was no follow - up on the FIR by the Forest Department.

As Parashi collapsed, the gang of poachers took to their heels fearing further retaliation from the patrolling party, leaving about 50 kg of venison (deer meat) loaded in three bags, a single - barrel gun, a head - mounted flashlight, etc. The RFO asked his men to keep watch, went to the Beechanahalli Police Station and lodged a complaint about the incident, as per the rule. The Circle Inspector and Sub - Inspector of the Police Station came to the spot, shifted the body, went to the H. D. Kote Hospital, conducted the post - mortem and sent the message to the village. Soon, about 200 people came in three mini buses and turned violent, attacking the RFO Ravindra Kumar and his men, who, sensing the danger after being hit in the body, escaped from the place, with a little help from the Police.

However, RFO T. Venkatesh of Antharasanthe Wildlife Range, which is adjacent to the B. D Kuppe Range, came to the spot, despite being warned not to go there by RFO Ravindra Kumar and his men, only to be manhandled and beaten up so severely that it was a miracle that he survived at all. Surprisingly, the Police who were there in good strength were merely watching Venkatesh being beaten up, like mute spectators. Eyewitnesses said the Police could have saved Venkatesh from the tormentors if only they had merely wielded their batons. But for reasons best known to them, the Police did not act. Vote bank politics? At what cost?

The result was, Venkatesh suffered two broken hands and two broken legs, with severe head injuries. He was rushed to the Apollo Hospitals here. Now, though he is out of hospital, he is totally out of action. Doctors say it would take another 90 days for him to be able to move about. Though an assault case was booked, no arrests were made for many days, it is alleged, due to political reasons. It was only on 26th of August 2005 that six of the accused surrendered to the H. D. Kote Circle Inspector of Police. They were produced before the Court and remanded to judicial custody in K. R. Nagar.

Surprisingly, the three mini - buses in which the villagers came, were not seized, according to the Forest Department sources. As a result of this unprecedented attack on the Forest staff and inaction on the part of the Police in giving protection to the Government officials on duty, followed by the Government's unsympathetic attitude towards the forest officials involved in this incident, the RFOs, fearing security to their lives and their families, have sought transfers from their present posting, which is not yet granted. If no transfer is made, it is learnt, these officers want to go on leave, for as long as possible.

Looking at the plight and predicament of these RFOs, Forest Watchers and Guards, the concerned citizens wryly remarked that the RFO Ravindra Kumar should thank his stars that the Police did not charge sheet him for murder of the poacher Parashi. When the RFO and his men complained to the Forest Department and the Police about the danger to their lives and family, about 120 Policemen were posted at their premises for about 25 days. Of course, the Police later slapped a bill for Rs. 30,000 to the Department towards expenses. Presently, there is no Police presence, but the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Hunsur, H. S. S. Murthy was kind enough to give a .32 caliber pistol to RFO Ravindra Kumar for self - protection.

It is surprising; the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife Division A. K. Verma took six days to visit D. B. Kuppe Wildlife Range, despite knowing that his officers were almost fatally attacked for doing their duty and under siege. What was devastating for the victims of the villagers' wrath was Verma congratulating his forest staff, while at the same time thanking the Police for their 'help'! His conduct was indeed demoralizing to the Range Forest staff.

It was indeed unfortunate that Ravindra Kumar, who had come to the D. B. Kuppe Wildlife Range only on June 2005, got embroiled in this unfortunate incident the very next month. When there is a crowd, which turns violent, Police can fire in the air as a warning shot to disperse it. But here, with the poachers, it is different. More so, deep in the forest. It is a case of either kill or get killed.

Hence, it is indeed a difficult situation in which the Forest officials have to work. And yet, Government seems to be indifferent to their safety and also requirements to perform their job effectively when a crisis like this takes place, the Government does not go to their rescue. Instead, they are made to look like orphans before the villagers and the Police. For example, they don't have walkie - talkies, nor vehicles to guard the wildlife, spread over an area of 30,000 acres.

The Anti - Poaching Camps where daily - wagers, the DCF, the Range Forest Officers are supposed to stay to monitor the wildlife, do not have facilities like good roof over their heads, vehicles to move around and if vehicles are there, there is no fuel to run them, no electricity or provision for proper lighting. Poachers are always well equipped than the Forest personnel!

Well, who will visit these Anti-Poaching Camps if no proper facility is provided? By merely providing them guns and cartridges, effective combing and monitories of the forest is not possible. For example, this Range is provided with a 1993 model jeep, without proper provision for diesel and repairs. It is said even this jeep was a “gift” by a “famous” NGO! No wonder, NGOs throw crumbs at these forest officials with the money they get from their foreign or Indian Funding Agencies and at the end of the day, treat these government officers as their ghulams, dictating terms.

And if they don't obey, these NGOs use their clout with the politicians and bureaucrats to transfer them or get them sacked even.

Is our government that poor that it cannot allocate enough funds to provide the basic necessities like vehicles, communication equipment and manpower t o these RFOs who are directly coming in contact with the deadly, well - armed poachers and are entrusted with the responsibility of protecting forests and wildlife? As a matter of fact, the government, by not supporting its own forest officers as in this case, is indirectly supporting the poachers, may be for political reasons or for any other reason.

As a result, government is sending a wrong signal to its guardians of the wildlife sanctuaries — "you get in to the forest to protect the wildlife and you get shot or beaten up by the villagers" No wonder the forest officers and men of D. B. Kuppe and Antharasanthe Wildlife Range had planned to go on strike on Aug. 6, but it was given up in deference to the visit of the PCCF. It is learnt that there is a Union of RFOs headed by one Devaraj as its President. Surprisingly, the Union did nothing to help these two RFOs and their men. They did not even register their protest to the government, complaining against the inaction of the Police in giving protection to the two RFOs.

Mercifully, it is the NGOs who have come to the rescue of these two RFOs.

Dr. K.A. Kushalappa, Retired Chief Conservator of Forest and now a member of the Coorg Foundation, has already sent a letter to the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, drawing his attention to the incident at D.B. Kuppe Range of Rajiv Gandhi National Park, Nagarahole, Karnataka, complaining that "The highly motivated forest officers, while discharging their duties with minimal facilities, were grievously injured by a mob of villagers, with the support of local politicians. This has happened in the presence of a large contingent of Police Force, including senior officers, who did not act in time to prevent the mishap...

Surprisingly, even the Forest Department has not taken the necessary supportive action till date to bring back the conducive working atmosphere. The Coorg Foundation, an organisation working towards Sustainable Forest Management in this region, has proposed nine measures in that letter to halt further deterioration of administration in protected areas of wildlife.

They are:
1. All vacant posts of lower staff like Watchers, Forest Guards and Foresters in the Protected Areas should be filled up immediately.
2. They should be given suitable incentives as they are working in remote areas, without any protection and life insurance.
3. The staff should have sufficient mobility with adequate good vehicles to reach the interior of forests at a shortest possible time for emergency action.
4. There should be mobile squads with all necessary equipment in each Division or Protected Areas to rush to the troubled spots as a "striking force" to support the field staff.
5. Anti - Poaching Camps should be increased to cover all vantage points in sensitive areas and provided with all modern equipment like wireless sets, arms and ammunitions, and sufficient ration in stock etc. They should be paid their wages regularly.
6. Field staff should get adequate protection and patrolling should be only in groups like that are now in vogue in Kerala Forest Department.
7. RFOs should have pistol/revolvers for personal safety and other staff be provided with guns/rifles like the Police personnel with proper legal provisions under the Arms Act.
8. The accused persons in the above incident should be booked and charge - sheeted as per the complaint of Forest Department already filed with the Police.
9. A formal meeting in the disturbed village to have a cordial relationship between Forest Department staff and the villagers need to be initiated by the State Ministry of Forests immediately.

K. N. Changappa, Vice - President of Coorg Wildlife Society and Senior Coordinator (South India) of Wildlife Trust of India, New Delhi, has also taken initiative in helping the unfortunate RFOs N. Ravindra Kumar and T. Venkatesh by approaching Vivek Menon, Executive Director of Wildlife Trust of India, to intervene in this matter and get justice for the Forest personnel, from the State and Central Government Forest Department.