KADAPA: A forest watcher died on Wednesday after he fell off a cliff during a scuffle with woodcutters working for red sanders smugglers at Lankamalla forest area in Kadapa district. Forest Department personnel fired into the air when they came under attack during the combing operation. Cops denied allegations that a woodcutter too had fallen to his death along with the watcher.
A team of forest officials led by forest ranger KV Prasad ventured into the dense forest in Siddavatam mandal along with a forest beat officer and five protection watchers on being alerted of red sanders trees being felled in large numbers. Late in the night, they came across a group of more than 30 woodcutters suspected to be from Tamil Nadu at Rollabodu.
The group rained stones on the officials when asked to surrender, following which the latter fired into the air in retaliation. While the woodcutters were trying to escape, forest watcher B Ashok caught one of them and in the scuffle that ensued fell off the cliff and sustained severe injuries to his the head.
Due to poor network in the dense forest, officials were unable to rush medical aide to the spot. By the time Ashok was taken to the nearest Bangla Baavi base camp, which is three km from the cliff, he had succumbed to his injuries. His body has been shifted to RIMS hospital in Kadapa for autopsy.
Following the incident, Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) officials rushed additional forces to Lankamalla and adjoining Seshchalam forest ranges to nab the lumberjacks. Three special police teams have been formed and as many woodcutters nabbed, Kadapa deputy conservator of forest B Sivaprasad said.
Kadapa additional SP Adnal Nayeem Asmi said search operation had been conducted and dismissed reports of a woodcutter falling off the cliff.