Boy’s death in leopard attack: Upalokayukta registers suo motu case; issues notices to Forest Department officials

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

The View From India Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective.

First Day First Show News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming.

Today's Cache Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day.

Data Point Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers

Health Matters Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there

The Hindu On Books Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features.

The Upalokayukta has registered a suo motu case in connection with the death of a 10-year-old boy in a leopard attack in Nagamale forests in Malai Mahadeshwara Hills region of Chamarajanagar district and initiated a probe against Forest Department officials.

Leopard mauls child to death in Uttar Pradesh's Dudhwa buffer zone

Upalokayukta K.N. Phaneendra, who has ordered the registration of a case based on newspaper reports, has also directed issue of notices to Assistant Conservator of Forests, M.M. Hills Wildlife Division, Sandeep Kumar; Assistant Conservator of Forests, Cauvery Wildlife Division, Mariswamy; Deputy Range Forest Officer, M.M. Hills Wildlife Division and Ramesh Biradar, Range Forest Officer, Cauvery Wildlife Division Vageesh, by treating them as respondents in the case.

Harshit Gowda, the victim, was proceeding on foot to Nagamale in M.M. Hills region, along with his family, earlier this month when a leopard attack left him dead. His mother Pavithra had alleged negligence by the Forest Department officials and blamed them for his son’s death. The Upalokayukta has also referred to Ms. Pavithra’s statement that they would not have gone to Nagamale had the officials and the staff informed them about the presence of wild animals and leopards en route.

The Upalokayukta has also referred to the allegations of serious nature that no facilities were extended to the devotees even though a fee of ₹200 each was collected from them. The devotees, who are travelling by foot through the forest coming under the jurisdiction of M.M. Hills Wildlife Division, were not provided any facilities like safety measures, drinking water arrangements, information boards, secure fencing and deployment of forest staff for security.

Taking serious note of the recurrence of leopard attack cases in the area, three in the recent past that had claimed two lives, the Upalokayukta cited Article 21 of the Constitution of India, which provides individual right to life and personal liberty. The righ