GUWAHATI: The Divisional Forest Officer of Assam State Zoo here has termed the allegations by the Chiriyakhana Suraksha Mancha against him and another official over the “deaths of animals” in the zoo as “baseless”.
The Mancha had on Saturday reportedly lodged an FIR against DFO, Tejas Mariswamy and veterinary doctor, Bijoy Gogoi alleging that the officials “feast on deer meat” inside the zoo and that the animals were dying at an increasing rate which could not be termed natural.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Sunday evening, Mariswamy said, “The allegation by the Mancha is totally baseless. The organisation which was formed within two months after I joined the zoo a year and a half back, has been targeting us because of certain vested interests.”
The Mancha general secretary Rajkumar Baishya had reportedly alleged that the two officials were involved in an illegal give and take of animals with poachers as well. “There is no record of animals which are there in the zoo and the causes of death of the animals which have died”, Baishya said.
The DFO further informed that he had on August 27 this year filed an FIR against Baishya for defamation and criminal intimidation.
“There is a court case going on against one of his brothers who had defaulted on payment of over Rs 9 lakh as rent for the battery-operated vehicle that was leased to him by the zoo. So, this move by him is basically driven by vested interest,” Mariswamy said.