Shivamogga: Serious allegations of illegal activities being carried out in the ecologically sensitive Agumbe forest region have surfaced, with the Karnataka Rashtra Samiti (KRS) writing to Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre seeking immediate intervention.

In a letter, KRS state vice-president Jnana Sindhooswami accused the Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology (KCRE) of misusing king cobra research as a front for unlawful eco-tourism and commercial exploitation. The organisation, headed by researcher Gowrishankar, is said to be conducting activities in violation of forest and wildlife laws.

According to the complaint, the centre has been involved in unauthorized forest entry, photography, videography, and even artificial hatching of king cobra eggs. Programs such as herpetology tours, night trails, and trekking expeditions are allegedly being organised illegally for profit.

Training workshops under the banner “King Cobra Bionomics and Conservation” are also being conducted, charging participants nearly ₹16,000 each. During such events, activities like handling king cobras, touching and relocating eggs from nests, and exploiting the species for demonstrations have been reported. Sindhooswami argued that such practices amount to direct violations of the Wildlife Protection Act and are punishable offences.

The complaint further states that a road has been illegally carved out of the hill at Churchi Kallu in the Guddakeeri region near Agumbe, allowing restricted access to jeeps and four-wheelers. Steps have also been constructed in the sensitive area.