Representatives of the Trinamul-backed outfit of forest department employees opposed the state government’s decision to transfer Sanjay Dutta, range officer of the department’s special task force who raided the home of Arjuna awardee Swapna Burman over her timber purchase papers.

The Trinamul-ruled state government had ordered Dutta’s transfer to stand by Swapna, the most prominent face in the Rajbangshi community now.

Amal Sinha, chairman of the West Bengal Forest Service Employees Federation, wrote to forest minister Rajib Banerjee, saying Dutta’s transfer would demoralise employees, and urged the minister to postpone the transfer order. “It is the responsibility of a forester to seize timber without valid papers, whether at the house of Swapna Burman or anybody else. Being a responsible forest officer, Sanjay Dutta performed his duty...” the letter reads. Dutta, on July 13, had not seized timber from Swapna’s Kaliaganj home but given a 30-day notice to Swapna’s family to furnish papers.

Forest villagers also protested Dutta’s transfer, calling him a “wildlife saviour”.