Lion and lioness were sent from Tripura to Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri (Representational)
Agartala:
The Tripura government has suspended IFS officer Praveen L Aggarwal following the controversy over naming the lion and lioness ‘Akbar’ and ‘Sita’, following which a case was filed by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), officials said on Monday. Was.
The lion and lioness were sent to Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri from Sepahijala Zoological Park in Tripura on February 12.
The North West Bengal unit of the VHP filed a petition before the Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court, praying that the names be changed as it hurt religious sentiments.
Tripura Forest Secretary Avinash Kanphade told news agency PTI that Mr Agarwal, who was posted as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife and Eco-Tourism), was suspended on February 22 in connection with the incident.
The court had asked the West Bengal Zoo Authority to consider changing the names of the lioness and lion and wondered why create controversy by giving them such names.
Taking into account the entire aspect of the controversy, the BJP government in Tripura had sought an explanation from Mr Agarwal, who was earlier the Chief Wildlife Warden.
Another official said Mr Agarwal refused to name the lion and lioness, but later learned that the animals were named as per the dispatch register before being sent to West Bengal.
“Since Mr Agarwal was the Chief Wildlife Warden of Tripura during the translocation process of the animals, he was suspended,” the official said.
Mr Agarwal, a 1994 batch officer, was not available for comment.
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