Hyderabad: A 37-year-old forest beat officer, Banoth Naveen, chasing suspected poachers through a reserve forest, died after running into an illegal live electric wire allegedly laid to hunt wild animals at Nakinipeta in Burgampahad mandal of Bhadradri Kothagudem district on Tuesday night.Police have booked a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against three residents of Laxmipuram village, Avula Nagi Reddy, Dasari Naresh and Thati Veerababu alias Yerraiah, based on a complaint from a forest officer.Around 8pm on Tuesday, Naveen, forest beat officer of Cherupusingaram west beat, received information that live electric wires were laid inside the forest to hunt wild animals. What began as an operation to remove the wires and catch those allegedly behind them ended with Naveen collapsing in the forest after touching one of the traps.Tip-off turns into chase through reserve forestAccording to the FIR registered at the Burgampahad police station, Naveen called his superior, deputy range officer (DRO) Kursam Anarkali, after receiving information. Anarkali then alerted other FBOs in the range.The forest staff assembled and entered compartment number 230 of Krishnasagar reserve forest, near a 15-hectare Marujathi plantation, carrying torches.Bhadradri Kothagudem district forest officer (DFO) Siddharth Vikram Singh said Naveen had earlier received information about a live wire in his beat and had gone to get it removed. Another call subsequently indicated activity in the area, prompting forest staff to believe they had an opportunity to catch the persons involved in poaching.“It was Naveen’s beat, so he was in front. The wire was around knee height. As soon as he came into contact with it, he fell down,” Singh said.The FIR states that, while moving through the plantation, the team noticed three persons acting suspiciously. When the forest staff flashed their torches, they allegedly identified themselves as Nagi Reddy, Naresh and Veerababu. The three fled, following which Naveen ran ahead of the other forest personnel in an attempt to apprehend them.Around 9.30pm, Naveen came into contact with the live wire concealed in the area. According to the complaint, he cried out “Amma” and fell as sparks and flames erupted at the contact point.The forest staff rushed to him and used wooden sticks to push the live wires away before pulling him to safety.Singh said Naveen’s condition deteriorated within minutes and the team sought emergency medical assistance.Staff carry Naveen through forest to ambulanceAt 9.57pm, DRO Anarkali informed the forest divisional officer, Paloncha. The FDO contacted the ‘112’ emergency service seeking police and ambulance assistance.The ambulance, however, could not reach the spot because of the terrain. Naveen’s colleagues carried him up to a nearby vagu pathakam or stream-side pathway, where the ambulance could reach them.He was then taken from Cherupusingaram west beat to Bhadrachalam area hospital, where the duty doctor examined him and declared him dead.The FIR says the live wire had drawn power from a transformer situated on ROFR patta land occupied by Lakavath Balu and Mudakam Venkatamma of Nakinipeta and Tejapavath Mangilal of Kothathanda. The three land occupants have not been named as accused in the FIR.Naveen was a resident of Venkatayya Thanda in Singareni mandal of Khammam district. His family lives in the Karepalli area. He is survived by wife, a three-and-a-half-year-old daughter and one-and-a-half-year-old son.FIR names three; mystery caller also under scannerOn Wednesday morning, DRO, Musalimadugu section, Paloncha range, Anarkali submitted a written complaint at the Burgampahad police station.Apart from determining who laid and electrified the wire, officials were examining the calls that brought Naveen and the forest team to the location.Singh said the forest department had shared phone details with the superintendent of police and police would examine call detail records and available telecom location information to establish the identity and location of the caller. Investigators were also looking into whether the caller was linked to those who allegedly laid the electric trap and whether other persons were involved in providing information and hunting.Forest teams have also been working to detect and remove illegally drawn electric wires in other areas, including Khammam.Principal chief conservator of forests and head of forest force Vinay Kumar said the department would stand by Naveen’s family.“Those responsible will not be spared under any circumstances,” Vinay Kumar said, directing forest officers to coordinate with police for the arrest of those responsible.He also directed officials to provide assistance to Naveen’s family and coordinate with the electricity department on measures to prevent similar incidents. Forest personnel have been instructed to remain alert to illegally drawn electric wires during patrols and exercise additional caution during night operations.
