A forest guard in Madhya Pradesh was brutally killed by alleged sand miners while on duty.
The Supreme Court has agreed to urgently hear the plea, raising serious concerns over illegal mining violence.
The Supreme Court of India on Thursday agreed to hear next week an urgent application highlighting the shocking killing of a forest guard in Madhya Pradesh, who was allegedly run over by a tractor-trolley linked to illegal sand mining activities.
The matter was mentioned before a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, which is already hearing a suo motu case titled ‘In Re: Illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife’. The application has been filed in connection with this ongoing case.
During the mentioning, the counsel appearing in the matter informed the Bench that the application was moved by the amicus curiae appointed by the Court. The plea was filed to bring to the Court’s notice a serious and recent incident involving the killing of a forest official while trying to stop illegal mining activity.
The counsel told the Court,
“As amicus, we have moved a fresh IA (interlocutory application) in this matter to alert your lordships about a very grave incident that occurred yesterday when a forest guard was murdered after a tractor ran over him when they attempted to stop the tractor,”
highlighting the gravity of the situation and the urgency for early hearing.
Taking note of the submission, the Bench agreed to list the application earlier than the scheduled hearing of the main matter, which is fixed for May 11. The Court stated that it would take up the issue on April 13.
The Bench also remarked on the seriousness of the situation and ongoing incidents, stating,
“There have been a few more incidents. You will find some very grave incidents,”
indicating that the problem of illegal sand mining and related violence is not isolated but widespread.
The incident in question took place in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh, where a 35-year-old forest guard, identified as Harkesh Gurjar, lost his life. According to police reports, the incident occurred on National Highway-552 near Ranpur village, around 20 km from the district headquarters.
Forest officials were conducting routine patrol duty when they tried to stop a tractor-trolley allegedly carrying illegally mined sand. During this attempt, the driver of the vehicle reportedly ran over the forest guard, leading to his death on the spot. The tragic incident has once again raised serious concerns about the growing menace of illegal sand mining and the dangers faced by enforcement personnel.
The case is part of a larger suo motu proceeding initiated by the Supreme Court to address illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary, a sensitive ecological zone spread across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The sanctuary is known for its rich biodiversity and is home to endangered species such as the gharial, Ganges river dolphin, and red-crowned roof turtle.
Earlier, on April 2, the apex court had strongly criticised the Rajasthan government for its actions related to the sanctuary. The Court had observed that the State was “facilitating” illegal sand mining and stayed its notification which sought to de-notify 732 hectares of protected land within the sanctuary. The Court made it clear that it would not permit any reduction of protected areas meant for endangered wildlife.
The Court had also taken a stern view of the role of illegal mining networks, referring to the “mining mafia” as “dacoits”, and noting that several government officials, including sub-divisional magistrates and police personnel, have been killed in such incidents in Rajasthan.
In earlier hearings on March 20, the Supreme Court had expressed serious concern over the environmental damage caused by rampant sand mining, especially the destruction of habitats of aquatic species in the Chambal river ecosystem.
The Court had originally taken suo motu cognisance of the issue on March 13 based on various media reports highlighting large-scale illegal sand mining in the region, which poses a severe threat to both wildlife and law enforcement authorities.
The upcoming hearing on April 13 is expected to focus on the recent killing as well as the broader issue of unchecked illegal mining activities and the urgent need for stronger enforcement and accountability.
Click Here to Read More On Gyanesh Kumar
