Khammam: Last rites of slain forest official performed with State honours

Khammam: The last rites of slain forest ranger officer(FRO) CH Srinivas was performed officially with State honours in his native village Earlapudi village under Raghunadhapalem mandal in the district on Wednesday.

FRO Srinivas Rao was allegedly brutally killed by the Guthikoya tribals at Errabodu plantation area of Bendalapadu gram panchyat in Chandrugonda mandal in Kothagudem district on Tuesday.

Forest Minister A Indrakaran Reddy, Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar, Rajya Sabha member Vaddiraju Ravichandra, Government Whip Rega Kantha Rao, MLC Tata Madhusudhan and several legislators and officials took part in the last rites. Ministers Ajay Kumar and Indrakaran Reddy paid tributes to Srinivas Rao's mortal remains and took part in the funeral procession along with large numbers of locals and officers of forest and other departments.

They assured the bereaved family members that the State government would support them in all possible ways. Speaking to persons in the village, they said the government had taken this incident seriously and will punish the accused. They added that there was no trouble with the local tribals but tension was created by the migrant tribals. The migrant tribals were cutting down the forests indiscriminately.

The Minsters interacted with the forest officials and listened to their problems and assured all help to them. They also said that all the issues of the forest officers and staff would be taken to the notice of the Chief Minster K Chandrashekar Rao.

Meanwhile, MLAs Ramulu Naik, M Nageswra Rao, CMO Secretary Smita Sabharwal, Haritha Haram OSD Priyanka Varghese, Forest Department Special Chief Secretary Shantikumari PCCf( HoFF) RM Dobriyal, PCCF Lokesh Jaiswal, District Collector VP Gautham, SP Kothagudem G Vineeth and other officials were also present on the occasion.