Hyderabad: Burgumpadu police have arrested four people in connection with the electrocution death of forest beat officer (FBO) Banoth Naveen, 37, who was killed after coming into contact with a live wire allegedly laid inside a reserve forest to hunt wild animals. The accused were arrested on Saturday and remanded to judicial custody.Naveen, the FBO of Cheruvusingaram West Beat in Paloncha Range, died on the night of Aug 11 while leading a team searching for suspected poachers in compartment no. 230 of Krishnasagar Reserve Forest near Nakinipeta in Burgampahad mandal of Bhadradri Kothagudem district.Based on deputy range officer Kursam Anarkali’s complaint, Burgumpadu police booked a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Avula Nagi Reddy, a tractor driver, Dasari Naresh, who runs a mutton shop and Thati Veerababu, a coolie, all residents of Laxmipuram and Kannedari Anantaiah, a resident of Nagineniprolu Reddypalem.Police said they later received information that Nagi Reddy, Naresh and Veerababu were at Nagi Reddy’s house in Laxmipuram. The three allegedly attempted to flee when a police team arrived but were caught. Based on information obtained from them, police arrested the fourth accused, Kannedari Ananthaiah.Binding wire, a digging bar allegedly used to plant stakes and empty bottles were seized from them. The four will be produced before a court for judicial remand, police said.Paloncha circle inspector K Satish warned against using live electric wires for hunting wildlife. “Cases will be registered and strict legal action will be taken against anyone illegally laying electric wires to hunt wild animals and endangering the lives of animals and officials,” he said.Naveen, a native of Venkatayya Thanda in Singareni mandal of Khammam district, is survived by his wife, a three-and-a-half-year-old daughter and a one-and-a-half-year-old son.Officer electrocuted during chasePolice said Naveen received information around 8 pm that live electric wires had been laid in the forest to hunt wild animals. He alerted deputy range officer Kursam Anarkali, following which a team entered the forest.The team spotted men suspected of involvement, who fled. Naveen, who was leading the team as the area fell under his beat, chased them. Around 9.30 pm, he came into contact with a concealed live electric wire, reportedly laid at about knee height, and collapsed.His colleagues removed the wires using wooden sticks and carried him out of the forest as an ambulance could not reach the spot. He was later declared dead at Bhadrachalam Area Hospital.
