BENGALURU: Karnataka’s Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister, Eshwar B Khandre, has recommended the suspension of three forest officials in connection with the death of a tigress and her four cubs due to poisoning in the Male Mahadeshwara (MM) Hills Wildlife Sanctuary. The officials are accused of gross dereliction of duty, which allegedly contributed to the tragic deaths.
The officials named are Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Y Chakrapani, Assistant Conservator of Forests of the Hanur wildlife range, Gajanna Hegde, and Range Forest Officer-cum-Surveyor of the Hoogyam Wildlife Range, Madesh. All three had earlier been placed on three-month compulsory leave on June 30, pending inquiry, and have since been replaced.
Minister Khandre stated that the action follows a preliminary report submitted by a high-level inquiry committee. “There was clear negligence in duty on part of the staff, leading to the death of the carnivores. Moreover, the non-payment of salaries to outsourced staff severely affected patrolling operations,” he said.
According to the minister, funds to pay staff salaries had been released at the end of April, but the DCF failed to disburse them until June. As a result, frontline staff went on strike from June 23, having not received wages since March. The absence of patrolling during this period left the area vulnerable, and the poisoning incident occurred. A departmental inquiry has also been initiated against DCF Chakrapani.
The high-level committee investigating the case includes Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Kumar Pushkar; Chief Conservator of Forests, Chamarajanagar Division, Hiralal; Assistant Inspector General of Forests (NTCA) Harini Venugopal; Assistant Director of Mysuru Zoo, Shashidhar; and wildlife expert Sanjay Gubbi. The committee has been directed to submit its final report by July 10, 2025.
This marks the second high-profile suspension recommendation by Khandre in recent months. In May 2025, he recommended the suspension of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests R Gokul over the HMT land case, which the government acted upon in June.
Department sources indicate a division of opinion on the suspensions. While some argue that continuous patrolling is unfeasible due to the vast terrain and manpower shortages, others assert that strong disciplinary action is necessary in such a serious case. The poisoning of five tigers is regarded as the most severe incident of its kind to date and a stark warning was needed to uphold accountability and deter future negligence.
The MM Hills poisoning case has sent shockwaves across conservation circles, highlighting the critical need for better enforcement, staff welfare, and vigilance in India’s tiger reserves.