Peddapalli: Doubts are being expressed by the people over the way the Mahadevpur hunting episode was handled by the forest department officials. Though family members of big personalities were involved in the poaching, forest officials are trying to help them escape the law by misinterpreting the entire episode, they allege.
A total of 15 persons, including the son of a key person in the State government and the relative of a Minister were reportedly involved in the hunting. The husband of a local public representative helped them to hunt in the forest, it is said.
Forest officials claimed that they chased a car for six hours from Suraram to Ambatpalli and found carcasses of two spotted deer in the vehicle, however, poachers fled from the spot by abandoning the vehicle at Kistampet.
Officials also claimed that when they intercepted the hunters’ vehicle, poachers hit forest officials’ vehicle and fled the spot. Also, there was no damage to the vehicle. However, officials failed to find out the vehicles that were used for hunting. Though carcasses of deer were carried in a small car, the hunter reportedly used three vehicles, either jeepsy or military jeeps since it was not possible to use small vehicles for hunting.
Forest officials have also failed to locate the carcasses of three more deer killed by poachers. A total of five deer were killed by hunters but officials have produced only two deer.
Questions over why the forest officials, who previously took the help of police to nab teakwood smugglers, did not involve civil police even if they had information on the poachers, remains unanswered.
There are also doubts over the disappearance of a Rs 10 lakh cheque, a khuran and other material found in the car. A flight ticket was also found in the car.
