Five forest personnel injured by stone mafia in Daltonganj

Five forest personnel were attacked by a mob during a night patrol in Daltonganj. The incident took place as the team attempted to seize two tractors loaded with boulders. The injured include foresters Sirseej Oraon, Laxmi Kant Pandey, Rakesh Roshan, and forest guards Ashutosh Tiwary and Pankaj Paswan. They suffered various injuries, especially to their heads and limbs. The attack occurred near Basdiha, just one kilometer from the highway, around 10:15 PM on Saturday night. According to Medinirai DFO Satyam Kumar, the mob armed themselves with stones and wooden objects. Forest guard Ashutosh Tiwary reported that the assailants first slashed the tires of their vehicles. Police response was slow, with local officers arriving over 45 minutes after the call for help. Chhaterpur SDO Ashish Gangwar led the rescue of the forest team. The injured were initially treated at a local hospital before being taken to Medinirai Medical College Hospital. Doctors stated that all five are currently stable and out of danger. This is the third attack on forest officials in a little over a month. Previous incidents saw mobs blocking and threatening forest teams. DFO Kumar pointed out a specific individual suspected of organizing these attacks, claiming he is involved in illegal mining operations. Concerns have been raised about the involvement of local regulatory bodies in these illegal activities. Authorities have filed reports under the Forest Conservation Act and other laws, but names of the accused are being withheld to prevent them from escaping arrest.