Nagpur: The Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF) and Field Director, Melghat Tiger Project, M S Reddy, who was shunted out from his post following suicide by Range Forest Officer (RFO) Deepali Chavan, is also suspended, according a report in a Marathi daily. Unconfirmed reports said that Reddy faced the suspension action for neglecting Chavan’s complaints.
It may be recalled that the Gugamal Deputy Conservator of Forests (DyCF) Vinod Shivkumar who was dramatically arrested at Nagpur Railway Station while trying to flee, was already suspended.
Chavan had shot self with her service revolver at her Government residence on last Thursday. In her suicide note, Chavan had accused Shivkumar of harassment. The deceased RFO’s suicide note solely held Shivkumar responsible for her death for mental, physical, and economic harassment. The note also appealed to Reddy to release her stalled salary and all other monetary service benefits to her mother who will be all alone after her death. Her husband Rajesh Mohite and mother, on Friday, demanded action against both Reddy and Shivkumar. Social organizations and local leaders too demanded Reddy’s arrest and he be made a co-accused.
According to the Marathi daily report, the State BJP had also raised the demand for Reddy’s suspension. The party activists staged dharna agitation in front of office of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF). The party demanded Reddy’s arrest and suspension. Meanwhile, Amravati Guardian Minister and Women and Child Development Yashomati Thakur has al;so demanded the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to suspend Reddy.
Meanwhile, even as the rural police handed over the probe in RFO Deepali Chavan suicide case to the Rural Sub Divisional Police Officer Poonam Patil, Harisal villagers burnt effigies of arrested DyCF Vinod Shivkumar and the shunted APCCF and Field Director, MTR, Shrinivas Reddy in front of the victim’s official residence in the presence of MP Navneet Rana and her husband, MLA Ravi Rana.
Villagers shouted slogans against the duo and also demanded Reddy’s arrest. The case was being investigated by SDPO Sanjay Kale but since the issue concerned the suicide of a lady officer, the police administration handed over the probe to a lady SDPO Poonam Patil.
