Retired Forest Officers Protest at Freedom Park Seeking Immunity and Modern Gear

Retired forest officers and environmentalists staged a demonstration at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Friday, urging the state government to provide legal immunity and modern safety equipment to frontline forest personnel facing armed intruders and attacks on anti-poaching camps.

Members of the KRFOA gathered to demand that the government grant frontline staff immunity whenever they open fire to safeguard human lives and government property. The protesters highlighted escalating threats from poachers and trespassers entering protected forest areas.

Demonstrators outlined a list of equipment required for frontline workers, calling on authorities to supply body-worn cameras, improved and authorised operational weapons, bullet-resistant jackets, helmets, night-vision goggles, GPS devices, drones, modern wireless sets, and emergency medical kits.

In addition to protective gear, the protesters urged the government to conduct structured training programmes for forest staff covering firearm usage, self-defence tactics, human rights standards, evidence preservation, crime-scene management, and wildlife-crime investigation. They also pressed authorities to organise awareness campaigns in villages neighbouring forest areas regarding the illegal possession of firearms, poaching, unlawful entry, cattle grazing, and wildlife protection laws.

Several environmentalists and retired officers voiced concern over political interference and recent violence inside forests. Prakruthi Prasanna of the Sustainable Environment Development Trust pointed out that anti-social elements had used gelatin sticks to blow up anti-poaching camps and demanded strict action against unauthorised entry.

Harsha Lakshminarayan of the Centre for Wildlife Studies urged the state government to prevent illegal entry and invoke the Anti-Goonda Act against offenders, noting threats posed by anti-social elements in districts such as Ramanagar and Kalaburagi. Retired forensic photographer and environmentalist LN Murthy also highlighted the danger posed by poachers hunting wild animals and damaging anti-poaching infrastructure.