Following the detention of a Nepali citizen for questioning in the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, over 20 Nepali individuals reportedly set fire to three temporary forest outposts in retaliation, according to officials on Monday. The incident occurred after forest personnel detained a Nepalese individual for questioning on suspicion of illegal activities in the sanctuary. However, it was later determined that the detained person was not involved in any wrongdoing and was released.
In response to the detention, a group of 20-25 Nepali citizens expressed their anger by allegedly setting fire to the forest outposts before fleeing to Nepal. The accused individuals are said to have fled across the border, leaving authorities to deal with the aftermath of the incident. The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Katarniaghat Division stated that an FIR had previously been registered against 10 Nepali citizens in November for illegal tree cutting, and efforts were underway to apprehend them.
The sanctuary, located in Bahraich near the Nepal-India border, has seen tensions rise following the incident. Authorities are considering whether to file a police case in the matter or take appropriate action under forest department regulations, pending further instructions from senior officials.
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