India News | Forest Officials Attacked by Villagers During Anti-encroachment Drive in Jharkhand; FIR Filed
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. At least seven members of a forest department team were allegedly assaulted by villagers after they attempted to stop encroachment of forest land in Jharkhand's Palamu district, police said on Thursday.
Medininagar (Jharkhand), Jul 10 (PTI) At least seven members of a forest department team were allegedly assaulted by villagers after they attempted to stop encroachment of forest land in Jharkhand's Palamu district, police said on Thursday.
An FIR was lodged against 15 identified and 20 unidentified persons in connection with the case at Manatu police station in the district, they added.
The incident occurred in Banshikhurd village under Manatu police station area on Wednesday night.
Manatu police station in-charge Nirmal Oraon said the forest department had received a tip-off that one Pintu Ram was plowing a forest land in an attempt to occupy it illegally.
When the forest team intervened to stop him, Ram and a group of villagers allegedly attacked them, Oraon said.
Forest range in-charge Sanjay Lakra, forester Rajesh Gupta, forest guard Ranjit Kumar Yadav, Manoj Kumar, and driver Dev Sharan Mahto were among those allegedly assaulted.
"As soon as we were informed about the incident, a police team arrived at the site and rescued the forest team members," Oraon said.
The seriously injured driver was admitted to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital, while other team members were treated at local hospitals, he added.
Oraon added that an FIR has been registered, and the accused will be arrested soon.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)