Bantwal: Kalladka Bhat's Srirama Vidya Kendra raided, forest official denies

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, May 10: A number of forest department officials have raided Srirama Vidya Kendra, Kalladka, being run by Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, on Friday May 10.

They have alleged that several banned wild animals are being cared for in the school illegally.

It may be noted that Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, who happens to be the convener of the above institution, is at loggerheads with Bantwal MLA, Ramanath Rai, since long. Bhat is the provincial Pramukh for south and north regions of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

It is said that wild animals like monkeys, stags, deer, porcupines, peacocks, and hares are being fostered at the school since the last four years without any permission. It is said that though the school had tried to seek permission from forest department to keep the animals, there was no response from the officials.

Sources said that raid was conducted on the basis of a complaint given by the locals.

The forest squad took away the animals and shifted them to Pilikula Nisargadhama. Reports stated that officials may slap cases under various sections of Wild Animals Protection Act against the management of the educational institution concerned.

Not a raid, says forest official

Meanwhile, forest official Padmanabha Gowda clarified that the forest department had not raided Srirama Vidya Kendra but had only taken measures to shift injured animals to Pilikula.

"It was not a raid. There were requests over the past four months to shift some of the animals to Pilikula. Accordingly, we visited the school on Thursday May 9 but could not shift the animals as we did not have enough vehicles. Hence, we came again prepared on Friday and did the needful. A few visual media mistook it for a raid. It is far from truth," he said.