Hyderabad: The last rites for the deceased Forest Range Officer (FRO), Ch Srinivasa Rao, were held in the village of Earlapudi in the district on Wednesday.
The FRO was killed in a violent attack allegedly carried out by Guthikoya tribals at the Errabodu plantation region of Bendalapadu gram panchayat in Chandrugonda Mandal on Tuesday.
Forest minister A Indrakaran Reddy, Transport minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar, MP Vaddiraju Ravichandra, government whip Rega Kantha Rao, Khammam TRS district president, MLC Tata Madhusudhan, and several legislators and officials participated in the last rites of the official performed at his native village.
They comforted the grieving family members and gave them assurances that the state government would help them in every way it could. A large number of residents and representatives from the forest and other departments participated in the state-honoured funeral procedures.
Speaking to the media, the ministers issued a warning that anyone guilty of the FRO’s death would not be spared and would face legal repercussions. The issue has been treated seriously by the state administration, and those responsible will face severe punishment.
The migrating tribes were indiscriminately destroying the forests, yet there was no conflict with the local tribes. Indrakaran Reddy cautioned that the government would not stand by if people attacked forest rangers.
The ministers met with forest authorities and staff as well, learning about their troubles and assuring them that the chief minister, K Chandrashekhar Rao, would be notified of any concerns they presented.
Meanwhile, the district police in Kothagudem reportedly detained a few people and found the knives and sickles that were used in the attack.
