Man shot dead by forest officials in Madhya Pradesh, police launch probe

New Delhi: A 45-year-old villager in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena was allegedly shot dead by forest officials for trying to save an illegal sand mining operation.

The state police launched an investigation into the death of Mahaveer Singh Tomar following the incident and have so far booked nine forest officials.

The deceased’s 19-year-old son Rahul Tomar filed a police complaint alleging that his father was beaten up and shot dead by the officials.

“Mahaveer’s son Rahul Tomar, 19, filed a complaint with the police and said after abusing his father, forest officials Pramod and Raghvendra shot him dead with their service gun while others used the butt of their guns to assault him. Rahul and two other villagers are claiming to be the eyewitnesses,” Morena’s superintendent of police Lalit Shakyawar was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

The police have registered a case under Section 302 (murder), 147 (punishment for rioting) and 294 (using abusive language) of the IPC against the nine forest officials.

The forest department, however, refuted the allegations saying that Tomar was shot down while protecting the illegal sand mining mafia.

“Mahaveer and others were trying to snatch the guns from forest officials when a bullet was fired accidentally which hit Mahaveer in his chest. We are sending a report on the whole incident to the police,” divisional forest officer (DFO) Amit Nikam said.

The security of the area surrounding the forest department was tightened after villagers staged a demonstration.