MP forest department team held hostage, assaulted by sand mining mafia

BHOPAL: A forest department team of Son Gharial sanctuary in MP's Sidhi's Sihawal area was allegedly held hostage on Wednesday night and assaulted by the sand mafia during a crackdown on illegal mining.Acting on a tip-off, the team reached Khuteli ghat on Son river around midnight, when illegal mining was underway. The suspects fled on seeing the officials, abandoning their tractors. However, some of them regrouped and returned to the site. They surrounded the team, held them hostage and assaulted them before fleeing in their tractors around 3am.Sources said the team had at least seven members, including three regular staffers and others hired on daily wages.

The forest officials informed the police of the incident, following which cops rushed to the spot.Bahri police station in-charge Rajesh Pandey told TOI, "A case has been registered on the complaint of the forest officials against three persons, two identified and one unidentified, under relevant sections, and a detailed probe is being carried out. A hunt has been launched to nab the accused."MP forest dept team held hostageA forest department team of Son Gharial sanctuary in MP's Sidhi's Sihawal was allegedly held hostage for a few hours Wednesday night and assaulted by the sand mafia during a crackdown on illegal mining.