Kerala Protective Staff Organisation Wayanad district committee has condemned the attacks made against Forest staff. Spokespersons of the organisation said more than 180 front-line forest staff had engaged in capturing the tiger as a part of ensuring protection to the public in the Kurukkanmoola area. But some miscreants attacked forest staff on duty. Such a situation would adversely affect their morale, the organisation said.
Meanwhile, O.R. Kelu, MLA, said he had got complaints from the public in Payyampally area that some Forest officials had attacked a group of villagers, including Vipin Venugopal, councillor, Mananthavady municipality. The staff attacked them while they questioned senior Forest officials about the alleged apathy of some officials to reach a site at Puthiyedom after the public sighted the tiger on Friday night.
Moreover, a Forest staff had taken a knife from the sheath in a scuffle between the locals and the officials, he said. The complaint would be brought to the attention of the Chief Minister and appropriate action would take against the officials concerned, he said.
