Bhubaneswar: Following the killing of two Forest department officials by poachers in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), the Odisha government has granted immunity to personnel for use of firearm under section 197 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The Forest, Environment & Climate Change Department issued a notification in this regard, Wednesday.
It should be stated here that poachers had killed two Forest department personnel in a space of a few weeks. The miscreants had killed Forester Bimal Kumar Jena, May 22 and it was followed by the murder of Deputy Ranger Mathi Hansda, June 16.
As far the notification issued now, no court shall take cognizance of any offence alleged to have been committed by them while acting in discharge of their official duty except with previous sanction of the government, a senior Forest department official informed.
Further, in case whenever firing is resorted to by them, each such incident will be enquired into by the executive magistrate and only if it is held in the inquiry that the use of firearm has been unwarranted, excessive and unnecessary, the criminal proceedings against the said forest officials will be initiated on acceptance of such reports by the state government, the official added.
For protection of land and resources in forest areas as well as wildlife in protected and reserved forest areas of the state, the government has already provided firearms to the personnel. However, in most cases, Forest department personnel were apprehensive of using firearms fearing criminal charges. Now, however, they can do so without any fear and without the apprehension of facing criminal charges. Now the government has granted them immunity as per the provisions contained under sub-section-(2) of section-197 of CrPC.
The rule will be applicable to all Forest department guards, foresters, deputy forest range officers, range officers, assistant conservators, sub-divisional officers, deputy conservators, deputy directors, divisional officers, regional chief conservators, field directors and any other officers in the state who are charged with the maintenance of public order relating to forest and wildlife protection, conservation and management, the notice stated.
Speaking about the new development, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), SK Popli said, “Section-197 of the CrPC is now applicable to Forest department officials. It bodes well for the future.”
Since the death Jena and Majhi, field-level officials of the Forest department are not going out for any work, restricting themselves in office only from June 19. They have threatened to go on leave en masse July 10 onwards if their seven-point charter of demands is not met. The demands include providing bullet-proof jackets to all field officials and Rs 30 lakh as compensation to each of the families of the two deceased.
PNN