3 min readJaipurMay 18, 2026 09:53 PM IST
A woman forest guard in Rajasthan’s Mukundra Tiger Hills Reserve has accused her senior colleague of sexual harassment, prompting the state forest department to order a departmental inquiry.
According to the official complaint filed by the woman officer to the Deputy Conservator of Forest, she has been facing sexual harassment from a range forest officer in Kolipura Range, Mukundra Tiger Hills Reserve, since the transfer of two other female colleagues in April last year. Since the transfer, she became the only woman officer working there, and the range officer’s behaviour “changed significantly”, the complaint said.
“I was subjected to unnecessary harassment and humiliation over minor issues. The officer used objectionable gestures, obscene remarks, and innuendos, creating an uncomfortable and hostile work environment,” she said, adding that she was assigned responsibilities beyond her role, denied leave requests, and called late into work “without any official reason”.
According to her complaint, the woman officer was working alone with the senior officer in January this year when the latter “asked me to get a file from the back-secluded office”.
“While I was searching for the file, he came to the room and held my hand, trying to kiss me. I took out my slipper and was about to hit him when another forest guard heard my screams and came into the room. He immediately ran away from there,” the complaint said, adding that while she shared her concerns with higher-ups and even sought intervention, the situation never changed.
No police complaint has been filed in the case.
When contacted, Kolipura Deputy Conservator of Forests Muthu Somasundaram said a five-member internal complaints committee has been formed to look into the matter.
“Five women forest officials have been assigned to this committee and are looking into the matter. The statements of the victim and the accused were recorded in April, and we expect the committee’s report to be finalised soon. Meanwhile, the range forest officer has been transferred to the CCF office in Kota, where he will work until a decision is taken. The victim has been transferred to another range. The committee report will be submitted within a month,” said DCF Somasundaram.
