Illegal Sand Miners Attack Forest Officials In Madhya Pradesh

Illegal sand miners attacked forest officials and fled with two tractor-trolleys loaded with the construction material that the team had seized in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district, an official said on Sunday.

The incident took place on Saturday in the Bada Malhera area within the jurisdiction of Gulganj police station.

Forest Range Officer Rajendra Pastor said they had received information about illegal sand mining in a river under the Bhartoli forest beat.

Acting on the input, forest officials from Bada Malhera and Gulganj went to the area to take action against the illegal mining and transportation of sand, he said.

During the raid, Mr Pastor said, the forest team seized two tractor-trolleys from the spot.

However, one Shailendra Singh, a resident of Gadha, allegedly tried to run a tractor-trolley over the forest officials. He also damaged a forest department vehicle, he said.

Mr Singh and others then fled with the sand-laden vehicles, he said.

A case was registered against Singh under the Forest Act. Police have also booked him for obstructing official work, damaging government property and obscene acts under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, said Sub Divisional Officer of Police Rohit Amawa.