A 33-year-old man was killed while three others were injured after forest officials in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh fired at them while they were allegedly chopping wood illegally in the Dakshin Lateri forest range on 9 August.
The victims were perceived to be a ‘threat to life,’ officials claimed. The deceased has been identified as Chain Singh Bhil.
Speaking to The Quint, Rajveer Singh, Divisional Forest Officer of Vidisha said:
“The range officer of Dakshin Lateri range received inputs that some locals were chopping wood and carrying them on the motorcycles at around 8 pm on 9 August. The range officer along with his team rushed to the spot and confronted the people carrying wood, following which they abandoned their vehicles and started pelting stones at the team. The forest officials fired in the air, but one of the people got hit and died while three more suffered injuries and were later admitted to hospital”
However, the tribals claimed that they were returning from the forest after collecting wood when the forest officials fired at them, killing Chain Singh on the spot.
“We were eight people returning from the forest after collecting wood and at around 10 pm we met the forest officials. They suddenly opened fire and killed Chain Singh. When we rushed to pick up Chain Singh when they shot at us too,” Bhagwan Singh, one of the injured, said.
Judicial Enquiry Ordered by CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan
Madhya Pradesh’s home minister Narottam Mishra on Tuesday, 10 August, informed the media that a case under section 302 (punishment for murder) has been registered against the officials involved in the gunfight and a judicial enquiry has been ordered by the chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan.
“The incident at Lateri is saddening and the CM has ordered a judicial inquiry into the matter. A case under section 302 (punishment for murder in IPC) has also been registered. The process to suspend the officials involved has also begun.”MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra.
Mishra further announced an ex gratia of Rs 20 lakh to the family of the deceased and a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to those injured.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)