Sand Mafia Tries to Kill IFS Officer on Duty in Chattarpur

Three of the mafiosos have been identified while the identity of the fourth is not yet known.

Image has been used for representational purposes.

(Photo: ANI screengrab)

A case has been registered under section 307 against four men in Chattarpur for allegedly trying to kill an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, Abhishek Tomar, on Wednesday, 7 February, reported Times of India.

At first the sand mafia tried to run Tomar over with a tractor. Tomar, who is posted as an SDO in Bijawar forest division of Chattarpur, said that when he tried to escape, they opened fired on him.

Apparently, Tomar was on his routine patrol when the incident took place.

I spotted a tractor loaded with illegally mined sand. When I tried to stop it and ask the driver for the documents, some men on a bike came in and started talking to the driver. 

Abhishek Tomar to <i>TOI</i>

According to Tomar, when the truck driver failed to show the papers, the mafia men told him to run the officer over. In self-defence, Abhishek had jumped on the other side of the road and that is when the tractor went towards the village. When the vehicle was chased by Tomar, mafiosos open fired at him.

Police conducted a raid on the accused’s residence after Tomar informed the police about the attempt on his life. The police recovered around 40 logs of teak, which had been acquired illegally.

Three of the attackers have been identified as Raju Dhobi, Balraj Dhobi, and Raja while the identity of the fourth is yet to be ascertained. They have not been arrested yet.

Director of Mining Department Vineet Austin told Times of India that these incidents are restricted to places where the new mining policy has not been implemented.

A similar incident happened last week in Chattarpur where mafia men attempted to kill a tehsildar for stopping them from carrying out illegal mining along Urmil river.

With inputs from the Times of India