What caused fire in Bandipur forest?

Bengaluru, Feb 25: The massive blaze in the Bandipur forest area of Chamarajanagar district bordering Tamil Nadu is caused by miscreants deliberately putting elephant dung on fire.

Forest Department stated, "Fire happened in Gopala Swamy betta three days back. Apparently it was put by a fellow disgruntled with the department which booked cases against his associate for forest offence. Person is identified but absconding. Police are in the look out for the person. Truth will be out when he is apprehended."

No wild animal death is reported. The social media and print - mass media news is not true. Animals instinctively keep distance from fire. No animals are seen by us during fire fighting operations any where near by. At the most some eggs and young ones of reptiles and birds may have died.

Environmentalist, well known as Vijay Nishant, said, "People are deliberately setting fire near Herekere, Gopal Swamy betta. This was the same method used during the 2016 fire in Kalkere, N-Begur and Gundre ranges of Bandipur tiger reserve."

As far cause of the fire he said, "Miscreants have heaped up dry elephant dung and set it up on fire. Once it catches fire it spreads it's engulfing tentacles destroying vast swathes of forest cover. But, the forest department is trying their best."

After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Karnataka government, CM HD Kumaraswamy on fire in Bandipur forest areas said that he has spoken to the defence authorities and central government has agreed to send 4 helicopters to douse the fire.