Indian Forest Service Association demands CBI inquiry into death of Meghalaya chief conservator of forests

The Indian Forest Service Association (IFSA) has written to the Meghalaya chief secretary, demanding a CBI inquiry into the death of the state's chief conservator of forests N Luikham.

The top forest officer allegedly died by suicide at his residence on Wednesday.

Secretary general of the IFSA, Suneesh Buxy, in a letter to Meghalaya Chief Secretary Donland Phillips Wahlang, said that one of the factors behind the officer taking his own life was the allegation of sexual harassment by an officer working in the Meghalaya government.

''It is further learned that the late N Luikham underwent a lot of mental trauma and agony because of these fabricated allegations backed by some powerful mining lobby in the state. It is also learned that nothing substantive has been found against the officer in the said case,'' Buxy wrote in the letter, a copy of which was marked to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav.

Buxy said that the circumstances surrounding the officer's death raise serious questions and urged the state chief secretary to assign the matter to the CBI for a detailed and impartial inquiry, and stringent action for acts of abetment or negligence, to prevent such incidents from recurring.

The IFSA said that Luikham was an outstanding officer with high integrity and moral character. ''His untimely demise is a blow to the battle for the conservation of natural resources,'' it said.

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