Forest department suspended Deputy Range Officer

A Deputy Range Officer (DRO) rendering services in Pembi forest range has been suspended by the Telangana forest department for allegedly involving in a tiger killing last year. The tiger skin was seized last week. The officer Hafeezuddin was also accused of encouraging illegal activities in his range despite being caught with nilgai meet on December 31 last year. 

The forest conservator C Saravanan said that the poaching had taken place in November last year and arrested the one Guglavath Prakash on January 5 who was involved in the nilgai hunting. Prakash along with three others was arrested while looking for tiger skin buyers. Though Prakash was caught with the 10 kg meat by the Hafeezuddun, the officer had not registered any case with an intention to keep the meat with him. 

Meanwhile, the forest officials alleged that the officer took Rs 50,000 bribe from Prakash for letting him off from the case.  Prakash killed the tiger by setting up a wire at 3.5 kilometres by tapping power from a nearby transformer, said an investigating officer.