Forest guard crushed to death by sand mafia's tractor in MP's Morena

A forest guard was allegedly crushed to death by a sand mafia's tractor in Morena, Madhya Pradesh, while trying to stop an illegal sand mining operation. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders on the state's law and order.

A forest guard was allegedly crushed to death by a sand mafia while trying to stop an illegal mining operation in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district on Wednesday morning, an official said. The incident occurred near Ranpur Tiraha under the jurisdiction of Dimni police station in the district between 5:30 am and 6 am on Wednesday.

The Forest Department team was on patrol to check illegal sand mining and transportation in the region. During which, forest guard Harikesh Gurjar attempted to stop a tractor-trolley loaded with sand but the tractor driver allegedly ran over him with the vehicle, leading to his death on the spot, and fled from the scene along with the tractor-trolley.

Police Action and Investigation

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Surendra Pal Singh said, "The incident was reported near Ranpur Tiraha under the Dimni police station limits. A team of forest department was on patrol and between 5:30 am and 6:00 am, the team tried to stop a tractor-trolley carrying illegal sand. During which, the tractor driver, driving at high speed and recklessly, crushed the forest guard, Harikesh Gurjar."

Upon receiving the information, the police immediately swung into action and senior officers reached the spot. The body of the forest official was sent to district hospital for the post mortem and the proceedings are underway, ASP Singh said.

The officer further said, "A case is being registered under relevant sections into the matter and the police have identified the accused. Efforts are on and they will be arrested very soon." Further investigation into the matter is underway and action will be taken against the anti-social elements accordingly, he added.

Political Reactions

Meanwhile, BJP state president Hemant Khandelwal, who reached Morena this morning, expressed grief over the incident and said that he would talk to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in this regard. "I received the information about the incident upon reaching here, it is indeed a tragic incident and condemnable. I will speak to the Chief Minister and if any such incident occurs, it must be curbed, and appropriate action should be taken," Khandelwal said.

Opposition Alleges Law and Order Collapse

On the other hand, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Umang Singhar alleged that law and order in the state has collapsed, and requested the Chief Minister to ensure the immediate arrest of the accused and strict action against them.

"Law and order in Madhya Pradesh has completely collapsed, and the morale of criminals is at its peak. The incident in Morena, where a sand mafia attacked a Forest Department team and killed constable Harikesh Gurjar by crushing him with a tractor, is not only horrific but also proves that criminals in the state no longer fear the law. This incident reflects the deteriorating law and order situation in the state and exposes the reality of the BJP government's claims of 'good governance'," Singhar said in a post on X.

He further added, "Illegal mining mafias are openly killing law enforcers in broad daylight, while the government remains a silent spectator. This is a clear failure of governance and indicates that protection is being extended to criminals. The Chief Minister should take cognisance of the matter and ensure the immediate arrest of the accused and strict action against them." (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)