Daijiworld Media Network - Morena

Morena, Apr 8: In a shocking incident highlighting the growing threat of illegal mining, a forest guard was crushed to death by a speeding tractor while attempting to stop sand smuggling from the Chambal River in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday.

The deceased, Harikesh Gurjar, was part of a patrol team from the Ambah Forest Range deployed to curb illegal sand mining in the restricted zone of the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary.

According to officials, the team had set up interception points along National Highway 552 near Rathol ka Pura and Ranpur following intelligence inputs. During the operation, a tractor-trolley carrying illegally mined sand appeared on the highway.

As Gurjar attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver allegedly accelerated and ran him over before fleeing the spot. He was rushed to the district hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Police have registered a case against the unidentified and launched a manhunt. Investigators are examining CCTV footage from a nearby petrol pump, which reportedly captured the suspect vehicle moving at high speed shortly after the incident.

Reacting to the incident, Hemant Khandelwal termed the killing “tragic and condemnable” and said the matter would be raised with the state government.

The incident is the latest in a series of attacks linked to the sand mafia in the Chambal belt, a region known for its ecological sensitivity and as a habitat for endangered species like the gharial.

Over the years, several officials — including police personnel, forest staff, and administrative officers — have been targeted or killed while acting against illegal mining operations, underlining a persistent pattern of violence and impunity in the region.

Authorities have intensified efforts to track down the, even as concerns mount over the safety of enforcement personnel working in high-risk zones.