BHUBANESWAR: Amid raging controversy over relocation of Royal Bengal tigress Sundari, State Government on Friday transferred Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) SMT Rehman.
There was violent protest by the locals after the death of a woman at Hatibari village on September 12 which was attributed to the tigress. The irate villagers had torched the Hatibari forest beat house and Tikarpada forest range office. However, Government has made it clear that there will be no relocation of Sundari.
The two-year-old Royal Bengal tigress brought from Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh was released in Satkosia of Angul district on August 17 to increase population of big cats.
Additional Chief Secretary, Forest and Environment Department, Suresh Mohapatra said the DFO was transferred as he had already stayed in that station for more than four years. The DFO had requested transfer as he was receiving threats from the Maoists, he said.