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BJYM leader arrested in connection to murder of forest guard in Morena: Police

The tractor is owned by BJYM leader Sony Chauhan who was allegedly involved in sand mining with BJP mandal vice president Pawan Tomar

Published on: Apr 9, 2026, 17:26:45 IST
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Bhopal: A Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Sonu Chauhan was arrested by the Madhya Pradesh police on Thursday in connection with the murder of forest guard Harikesh Gurjar (33), who was crushed to death a day earlier while trying to stop a tractor-trolley laden with illegally mined sand from Chambal river in Ambah range of Morena district.

Tractor driver Vinod Kori is absconding. (Shutterstock)
Tractor driver Vinod Kori is absconding. (Shutterstock)

Police said the tractor used for the crime is owned by Chauhan who is allegedly involved in sand mining with another person, Pawan Tomar, said police. Tomar is said to be the member of the same organisation.

“Sonu Chauhan was found to be the owner of the tractor...Pawan Tomar is also the partner. Police are investigating his role and will take action accordingly,” Sameer Saurabh, superintendent of police, Morena, said.

Tractor driver Vinod Kori is absconding, police said.

Also Read:Morena forest guard killed by sand mining mafia: Police

“We are investigating the matter and will take action accordingly,” said BJP district president Kamlesh Kushwaha.

The Supreme Court is hearing a case related to sand mining in Chambal river and has taken suo motu cognisance of the case. A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta referred to the incident on Thursday. The case is likely to be taken up again next week.

Range officer Veer Kumar Tirki, forest guards Shatrughan Singh, Avdhesh Kushwah, and Vinod Mahor, and Harikesh’s brother-in-law, Gaurav Gurjar were present at the spot when Kori ran over the forest guard on Wednesday.

“I was returning to my home in Morena and driving my own vehicle, following closely behind the inspection team. Near the Ranpur Tiraaha (junction), a tractor-trolley carrying sand was spotted approaching from the direction of Veerpur Kuthiyana. Upon receiving instructions to intercept it, my brother-in-law Harikesh stepped out of his vehicle and signalled the driver to stop the tractor,” said Gurjar.

“Initially the driver slowed down but suddenly accelerated and rammed into my brother-in-law. Right before my eyes, his head was crushed,” Gurjar added.

Kori subsequently drove the tractor to nearby petrol pump where he changed his clothes, unloaded the sand and fled, police said.

  • Shruti Tomar
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shruti Tomar

    I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More