Khandwa, June 29 (IANS) A day after eight forest guards were injured in a violent stone-pelting attack during an anti-encroachment drive, the Khandwa district administration in Madhya Pradesh on Monday began a massive operation to clear illegal occupation of forest land in the Amakhujri forest under the Gudi range.
More than 600 personnel from the Forest, Police and Revenue departments, supported by 30 JCB machines, were deployed to reclaim the encroached land.
The large-scale action followed Sunday’s clash, when a 40-member flying squad of the Forest Department was allegedly attacked by around 400 encroachers while trying to stop fresh cultivation on forest land after the onset of the monsoon.
According to forest officials, women were allegedly placed at the front of the crowd while others attacked the team with stones fired from slingshots and wooden sticks, leaving eight forest guards injured.
Heavy security arrangements were made to prevent a repeat of the violence. Around 60 women police personnel wearing protective jackets were deployed at the site as a precaution.
During the operation, a tear gas canister in a police vehicle carrying a drone-based tear gas system leaked after the vehicle moved over the rough forest terrain. The canister was immediately opened, and the gas was safely released. The incident did not affect the operation.
Additional Superintendent of Police Mahendra Tarnekar, who is supervising the security arrangements, said the joint operation involved around 400 forest personnel along with police officers and nearly 200 police constables.
“The wet ground slowed the operation in the morning, but around 30 per cent of the encroached area has already been cleared. The situation is peaceful, and there has been no resistance so far,” he said.
Collector Rishabh Gupta and Superintendent of Police Agam Jain also visited the forest area to monitor the operation. Gupta said he had just reached the site and would inspect the area before sharing further details with the media.
Forest officials said the department had earlier cleared nearly 500 acres of encroached land in the Amakhujri forest and dug contour trenches to prevent fresh occupation. However, nearly 200 acres were allegedly re-encroached and brought under cultivation again, prompting the fresh eviction drive.
The eight injured forest guards, all members of a specialised flying squad formed in 2025 to tackle forest encroachments, are undergoing treatment at the district hospital.
Forest officials said efforts are continuing to identify others involved in Sunday’s attack, while the department has sought permanent police protection for future anti-encroachment operations.
District Forest Officer Rakesh Kumar Damor said legal action had been initiated after Sunday’s attack. “An FIR has been registered, and action has been taken against nine identified persons. The anti-encroachment drive is continuing under adequate security,” he said.
–IANS
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