M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, November 13: The farmer Sahadur Singh of village Labher under the Garu West range of the tiger reserve in Palamu, who is the prime accused in the killing of a male elephant with electric shock, is still at large. The carcass of the elephant was found on Tuesday.
Two others including the wife of Singh, Ishmatia Devi have been jailed and are under judicial custody for 14 days in Latehar.
Mukesh Kumar, Deputy Director, PTR South division on Sunday said, “We have launched a man hunt for the accused but he has gone into hiding.”
Kumar said, “We have asked the villagers to not help him as he is a wild life killer. We have appealed the people to help us find the accused.”
“Forest guards have been asked to monitor such fields which have standing crop to make sure if there is any booby trap laid around the fields,” Kumar added.
Sources said that the forest guards have been taking detours through the fields in the morning and evening while interacting with people around. Furthermore, they are trying to create a rapport with the villagers and convincing them to not indulge in any criminal act.
Deputy Director Kumar said, “We understand that farmers don’t want any kind of damage to their crop. But killing wild animals is no solution.”
Kumar said, “The state government offers compensation for the loss of crop either in the field or stocks.”
“It is Rs 1,600 for one quintal of stocked grains, wherein a maximum amount that a farmer can claim is Rs 8000,” quoted Mukesh Kumar from a 2016 Sankalp of the State Forest Environment and Climate Change department, Government of Jharkhand.
“Similarly Rs 20,000 compensation is provided for loss of crop in a hectare, wherein maximum Rs 40,000 can be claimed,” said the deputy director.
Kumar also said that rangers had been asked to be more friendly with farmers who come for any redressal and to be passionate about their distress on account of the intrusion of wild animals into their fields.
