Odisha Forester’s Death: Departmental Probe Launched To Ascertain DFO’s Role

Bhubaneswar: With the alleged suicide of forester Sanjay Nayak triggering a major row after his family blamed a DFO for the extreme step, the Odisha government has launched a departmental inquiry into the incident.

According to PCCF Devidutta Biswal, the departmental inquiry is already underway and an officer of the rank of CCF is conducting the probe into the death of the forester.

The departmental inquiry is being conducted as the police had found a suicide note while recovering the body of Nayak. The forester was stated to have blamed Rayagada DFO for forcing him to take the extreme step.

Notably, the forester’s wife and brother had held Rayagada DFO Debendra Kumar Behera responsible for the death of Nayak by suicide. They claimed that the bribe demand by the Rayagada DFO forced Nayak to take his life.

Following their allegation, PCCF Devidutta Biswal had said that the department would take stern action if evidence is found in police report against the rorest employee.

Priyanka Subudhi, the wife of the deceased, had accused the DFO of mentally torturing Nayak for PC (abbreviation used for percentage to describe bribe money in common parlance) from different projects of the department under the range for the last few years. “My husband ended his life because of the DFO. He used to give Rs 20,000-30,000 to the DFO every month and I am aware of it. The DFO had been torturing him and he took the extreme step unable to bear the pressure,” she said, demanding justice for her husband.

Behera is also the Silviculturist at the Silviculture Division, Rayagada.

The forester’s brother Rabi Narayan Nayak has lodged a complaint at Town police station, alleging that the 35-year-old, who was working in the forest research wing at Jaring for the last four years, was continuously pressurised for PC by the DFO.