http://www.indianexpress.com/news/now-govt-employees-demand-cbi-inquiry-into-rhino-death/527868/


Now, govt employees demand CBI inquiry into rhino death

A Day after the body of a rhino was found with bullet injuries in Jaldapara 
Wildlife Forest Reserve, Government Employees Federation demanded a CBI inquiry 
into the incident on Sunday.

The federation, with a large number of forest officials, demanded the 
resignation of the state forest minister and principal chief conservator of 
forest.

On Saturday, the rhino had crossed over the Torsha river from the reserve. 
Thereafter, the forest officials along with the villagers pelted stones and 
fired tranquilliser shots to drive the animal back to the reserve. The 
officials also employed elephants to drive the animal back but failed to do so. 
Finally, it fell in the river and died.

The carcass of another injured female rhino was also recovered from the forest. 
“A CBI inquiry should be conducted. How can an animal be found dead with a 
bullet injury in the restricted area?” said Sanjib Chatterjee, state secretary 
of the Federation.

Following the incident, the Forest department had conducted a postmortem on 
Saturday.

The department, however, dismissed allegations of negligence on the part of 
forest officials. “We are not aware whether it was a poacher who killed the 
rhino or not. But the bullet does not appear to have been fired by any forest 
official,” said a forest official. “The animal was already injured and the 
forest authorities tried to tranquillise and send the animal back to the 
forest,” added the official.



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