The lies of the forest officials came to the fore here on Thursday after a fawn in its custody which it claimed to have released in the forest was found dead on Thursday.
Dogs dug out the carcass of the deer calf from the place where it was buried. A journalist who had gone to take photo of the fawn was allegedly attacked by the forest officials at the spot. later, he lodged an FIR against the forest officials. A counter FIR was also lodged by the forest officials.
A delegation of journalists of Sundargarh met the SP and the DFO on Friday and discussed with them to take action against the guilty forest officials.
Sources said the fawn had strayed from the forest in Hemgiri range of Sundargarh forest division on November 15 and one Sukra Bhoi, a resident of lohardipa village, had kept the animal in his house. After getting information, Kanika forester Omprakash Mahanand and a team of forest officials had raided house of Bhoi and rescued the fawn. They had brought it to Hemgiri forest range office. The forest officials had tied the legs of the fawn with rope since the fawn was hopping following which a wound was created on the leg of the fawn. A veterinary official was coming to treat the fawn. Thereafter, the fawn had been shifted to the house of Hemgiri forest range officer. But since November 20, the fawn was not noticed.
According to sources, the fawn had died with the knowledge of forest officials owing to the wound. later, the officials had buried it inside premises of Hemgiri forest range office. But when the forest officials under Hemgiri forest range including forest range officer Gangesh Majhi were asked about the fawn, they maintained that they had released it in the forest. Even Sundargarh DFO Arun Mishra also maintained that the fawn had been let off in the forest.
But question was raised about the fawn’s presence as forest officials had not done videography, nor had they kept any witness or proof.