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Zoo curator shunted for tigress death

The Andhra Pradesh government transferred Nehru zoological park curator B Trinadha Rao, hours after senior Indian Administrative Service officer Dr A V S Reddy submitted his interim report on the killing of a Royal Bengal tigress at a tiger safari here.

Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Hyderabad circle, A V Joseph, has been posted as curator.

Rao, who was curator for three months, is awaiting a fresh posting.

He has been asked to report to the office of the principal chief conservator of forests.

Joseph had earlier worked as curator of the zoo.

The inquiry panel submitted its interim report to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday evening. Reddy is understood to have suggested the involvement of at least two insiders [employees] in the zoo killing and skinning of the tigress in her enclosure on October 4.

Sources, however, said that Reddy did not recommend action against any official or zoo staff, as it required a detailed police probe. The panel recommended measures for strengthening security at the zoo and removal of encroachments around the complex.

The panel was appointed on October 10, to look into security lapses by the zoo staff and their possible involvement in the crime, reasons for the delay in reporting the matter to the government and to fix responsibility in this regard. The panel was also asked to analyse the security management of zoo, identify loopholes and suggest an action plan for better management and upkeep.

Though the Hyderabad city police, State Forest Department, Central Zoo Authority and Zoo Park Employees Association have announced rewards totalling Rs 350,000 for clues on the identity of the culprits behind the killing, the city police and Criminal Investigation Department teams of the state police have not made any headway in even identifying the poachers.

Soon after the incident was reported, the Bahadurpura police registered a case under Sections 457 (lock-breaking and trespass), 380 (skinning and theft) and 429 (maiming the animal with intention to kill) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 9 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act. Four employees of the zoo - forester Vikaruddin, animal keeper Venkatswamy, watchman Sheikh Basheer and zoo sergeant Lakshminarayana -- were suspended pending further inquiry.

The city police and CID teams also interrogated zoo employees in connection with the incident.

EARLIER REPORT
Sakhi's skinning: Zoo staff's involvement suspected

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