Rhino kills Jaldapara forest beat officer

Uttam Sarkar

SNS, ALIPURDUAR, 30 NOVEMBER: A rhino killed a forest beat officer posted at the Shil Torsha Forest Beat under the north Jaldapara range of the Jaldapara National Park yesterday.

Uttam Sarkar, 57 was a resident of Madarihat village in Alipurduar district.

It is learnt that Mr Sarkar was headed for the Shil Torsha beat office from Uttar Jaldapara range office to for official work yesterday evening. He was  travelling on his motorcycle all alone when he was suddenly attacked by a one-horned rihno.

"The rhino killed the forest officer brutually. Forest authorities started searching for Mr Sarkar after 10 pm as he did not return home from work. They later found him dead on the way to the Shil Torsha beat office. The body has been sent to the Alipurdaur disttict hospital for post-mortem,- forest sources said.

The forest department has ordered for an inquiry into the matter.

"We are very sad about the incident Uttam Sarkar was an efficient officer. It is a great loss to our department, and the void he leaves can never be filled," DFO, Jaldapara National Park, Biman Biswas, said. ''A departmental enquiry has been started on the matter," Mr Biswas added.

'The jungle was his life, and wildlife his family members. We cannot believe that he was killed by a rhino,' the younger sister of the deceased officer, Puspa Mukherjee, said at the Alipurduar district hospital.

"We have appeled to the forest department to arrange for a government service for one of his daughters; Ms. Mukheree added.

The incident has sent shock waves across the forest department as well as tourists.

"Kumki elephants killing their Mahut (elephant keepers) in the Jaldapara National Park is common. Rhinos have also also killed forest workers in the past. But the death of a high ranking forest officer is the first of its kind in the Park," sources said.