Incidents of criminal elements beating forest guards in Rajaji Tiger Reserve appear to have continued with another such case being reported. Timber mafia lifted a forest guard and dumped him in the forest area after beating him black and blue on Wednesday night.
The guard deputed at Senthli beat of Beriwada range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve, was left half dead. He was later rushed to a hospital by the forest officials. Meanwhile, two of the accused Shaukeen and Shahzad were arrested. The assault might have been made to teach forest guard Arjun Singh a “lesson” as he had registered a case against Shaukeen earlier, said department officials. Iliyas Dangi gang was behind the attack, say sources.
Police said that over two dozen timber mafias had reached the Senthli police check post on late Wednesday night. They also broke into the forest office to lift Arjun Singh, the lone forest guard on duty. He was later taken to a sugarcane field. The miscreants thrashed him with batons and sticks and while he fell unconscious he was dumped in the forest.
Around 3 am, when Arjun gained consciousness, he managed to reach Tehra and recounted to the officials what happened to him. The forest officers admitted Arjun to the district hospital where he is undergoing treatment. Meanwhile, a case has been registered against 12 unidentified timber mafias.
Notably, the southern boundary of Rajaji Tiger Reserve has remained vulnerable with the gangs led by the timber mafias indulging in illegal activities for the past several years with impunity. It is not the first time that the forest guards have been assaulted by mafia. Earlier also in Dhaulkhand and Beriwada forest ranges, cases of timber mafia attacking forest guards were reported. last month too, a forest guard posted in Beriwada range was attacked when he was on patrolling duty.