Several government officials, including police, revenue and forest department personnel, were on Saturday injured in an “attack” in Banaskantha after a group of nearly 500 local residents allegedly targeted the joint team. The team comprising around 50 officials was planting tree saplings at a state nursery and a section of local residents raised an objection to this, police said. The incident took place in Padaliya village, around 16 km west of the temple town of Ambaji in Danta taluka, near the Rajasthan border, police said. After an altercation with local residents around five days ago, the forest department sought the police help on Saturday and also took along revenue department officials to act as executive magistrate. This joint team returned to Padaliya village to carry out planting of saplings in the 3-4 hectare plot. These saplings, after growing into small plants, would be regrown in the forest, sources said. The incident left Ambaji police station Inspector R B Gohil and an Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) seriously injured, police said. Story continues below this ad Banaskantha Superintendent of Police Prashant Sumbe told The Indian Express , “There were some people who had opposed this work of the forest department. So the team of police, forest and revenue officials went to do the work. While returning, there was what looked like a planned attack of stone-pelting as well as bow and arrows. Other weapons were also used. Several police and forest department officials were assaulted, are injured and receiving treatment in different hospitals.” The police tried to disperse the crowd using teargas shells. When the attack was reported, extra force was deployed to bring the situation under control, said SP Sumbe, adding that an FIR would be filed at Ambaji police station. Story continues below this ad Asked about the previous altercation between the local residents and the forest department, SP Sumbe said, “Some days ago too, people had stopped the work at the nursery. They were booked for obstruction of a public servant based on a complaint by a forest officer. However, no arrests were made in that case as the accused fled the village.” Banaskantha Collector Mihir Patel visited the injured persons in hospital. He said, “There is survey number 9 land of the forest department located in Padaliya village where plantation work is underway. On Saturday, a group of around 500 persons attacked the government officials. Many of the 47 injured persons are being treated in Ambaji while 11 have been referred to a bigger hospital in Palanpur. All are medically stable but remain under treatment.”
IndiaIndia
Nearly 50 police, forest & revenue dept officials injured after ‘mob attacks’ them with arrows, stones
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