Siliguri: Incensed over the death of a
villager in an elephant attack, a mob beat up forest
department employees injuring eight and set on fire some
forest quarters at Lalitabari in Jalpaiguri district.
Divisional Forest Officer, Baikanthapur, K Balamarugan
told PTI over phone that the mob became unruly last night
after the body of Babulal Oraon (35) was recovered from
Lalitabari jungle in the evening.
With Oraon's body bearing trample marks of a jumbo,
the villagers turned towards the forest employees mercilessly
beating up the beat officer and others.
At least eight persons were injured, two of them
seriously. The two were later hospitalised.
The mob also set ablaze two forest quarters, totally
gutting the dwellings, Balamarugan said.
The forest department handed over Rs 25,000 to the kin
of the deceased and promised to make payment of the final
compensation at the earliest.
Stating that all forest employees were feeling
insecure since last night's mob attack, he said such incidents
would simply create mistrust between forest department workers
and villagers as both sides needed each other's help.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, December 06, 2009, 19:26