Forest guard filmed waving gun inside restricted zone of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve

Pilibhit (UP), Oct 15 (PTI) A video showing a forest department employee waving a firearm and filming a social media reel inside the restricted area of the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on Wednesday surfaced online.

The viral video shows forest guard Rajan sitting in a car with his friends, brandishing a weapon and filming a reel to the tune of a popular song.

Loud music can be heard playing in the background as the car moves through the restricted forest area, an act explicitly prohibited under forest regulations.

Reacting to the video, Divisional Forest Officer (Social Forestry) Bharat Kumar told reporters that the video was an old clip, allegedly recorded when the forest employee had just joined duty.

"It was filmed when his friends came to drop him off. The video is not recent," he said, adding that the matter is being probed.

According to the forest department, the area seen in the video is a 'No Filming Zone', where photography, videography, and loud music are strictly banned under the Forest Act.

Officials said any such activity not only violates departmental discipline but also disturbs the habitat and safety of wildlife.

Wildlife activists have condemned the act, calling it a serious breach of forest protocol and a threat to the tranquillity of the reserve.

They have urged the department to take strict disciplinary action against those involved. PTI COR ABN HIG