Mob attacks forest staff for busting poaching racket in Palghar sanctuary, 5 held

A forest guard received a severe blow to his head and had to take six stitches in the attack by a mob.

A forest officer on Tuesday suffered serious injuries after a mob ransacked the forest office and attacked its staff at the Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (TWLS) in Maharashtra’s Palghar district. The sanctuary is a part of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).

24-year-old Ankush Kendre, a forest guard at the SNGP, who was attacked on Tuesday, is being treated at a hospital.(HT Photo)

“Ankush Kendre, a forest guard, received a severe blow to his head and had to take six stitches. Our staff and the range forest officer (RFO) escaped with minor injuries,” said Anwar Ahmed, director and chief conservator of forest, SGNP.

The Waliv police filed a first information report (FIR) against 120 unidentified persons. HT has a copy of the FIR, which lists violations of 10 sections of the Indian Penal Code, including damage to property, theft, mischief and assault on a public servant.

According to SGNP officers, 15 people were spotted trespassing into TWLS on Tuesday around 3am. “A team of seven forest staff apprehended them and found small catapults, firecrackers and other poaching equipment on searching them. The officers managed to get hold of five persons,” said Ahmed, adding that entry into any sanctuary after sunset is unauthorised.

Ahmed said they were taken to the forest office and kept in a lock-up. Four hours later, a mob rushed into the office in Gokhivare. “The mob broke windows, chairs, tables, dismantled computers and ransacked the place. They even attempted to enter the RFO home nearby and vandalise it. Luckily, the RFO managed to sneak out from the back of his house, climb a wall and take refuge in a police station,” said Anwar.

Anwar pointed out that in spite of pressure from the mob, the forest staff escaped with the key to the lockup where five alleged poachers had been kept.

“The accused were produced in court on Wednesday and the forest department have been given two days’ custody,” he said.

Another senior SGNP officer said the mob had planned to poach animals ahead of Holi. “The mob consisted of mostly residents of Belkadi pada in Kaman located inside TWLS. Search operations will begin inside TWLS from Friday onwards.”

An officer from the Waliv police station said a criminal case has been filed and investigations are underway.