Civic worker shot dead as SGNP hunt goes awry; 4 arrested

The incident occurred when a group of seven men, all residents of tribal hamlets with the SGNP, were on an expedition to hunt wild boars

MUMBAI: Four men including a doctor were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly shooting dead a 60-year-old municipal worker inside the premises of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and attempting to cover up the incident using a forged death certificate.

Civic worker shot dead as SGNP hunt goes awry; 4 arrested

The incident occurred when a group of seven men, all residents of tribal hamlets with the SGNP, were on an expedition to hunt wild boars, even though hunting is illegal under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Some members mistook Vijay Sukharu Sapte, a municipal worker who was part of the same group, for a wild animal and fired in his direction, leading to his death and leaving two other group members injured, police officers familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times.

According to Rahul Chavan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mira-Bhayandar-Vasai-Virar (MBVV), the group ventured into the forest near Chena village inside the SGNP late at night on Monday, carrying firearms, pellets and other equipment used to hunt wild boars.

“Between midnight and 1am (on Tuesday), one of the hunters noticed some movement in the bushes amid the darkness, thought an animal was hiding there and opened fire, accidentally hitting one of their own group members, Vijay Sapte, in the chest,” said Chavan.

Two other group members, Kunal Shelar and Kalpesh Dhangala, also sustained gunshot injuries to their thigh and shoulder, respectively, and are undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kashimira.

Around 11am on Tuesday, forest officials informed the police about the incident. When the police questioned members of the hunters’ group, they claimed that they had sustained injuries when an explosive device used for fishing in rivers exploded. But further investigation revealed that three of them had received gunshot injuries when fellow group members fired at them by mistake, and one of the three injured had died.

“We suspect that the group, with help from the private doctor, attempted to cover up the incident by cremating Sapte early on Tuesday without informing the authorities or conducting a post mortem,” a police officer said, requesting anonymity.

Subsequently, three members of the group were nabbed from hamlets within the SGNP, where they reside, while the doctor was arrested from his home in Mira Road. All four accused have been booked for murder and other offences, said police.