In his 40s, Roopchand was allegedly assaulted by deputy ranger Santosh Uikey and seven other forest department personnel on the suspicion that he regularly stole teak wood from the forest. (Representational Image)
Forest personnel arrested for allegedly beating a villager to death in Madhya Pradesh’s Seoni district tried to destroy evidence by burning the body deep inside forest and did not leave the place till the body was reduced to ashes, the police said Friday.
In his 40s, Roopchand was allegedly assaulted by deputy ranger Santosh Uikey and seven other forest department personnel on the suspicion that he regularly stole teak wood from the forest. After the victim was brought to his residence, Uikey and others took turns to beat him, but were scared when he died around 4 pm on Tuesday, said police.
Inspector Khemendra Jaitwar said the forest personnel took the body deep into the forest in Uikey’s four-wheeler. “They poured petrol and burned the body from 10 pm to 2 am and left the place only after they were satisfied that there was no evidence left,’’ the investigating officer said.
The incident came to light on Wednesday after the victim’s family started looking for him. The police have lodged a case under Sections 302 and 201 (destruction of evidence) against eight persons. Police produced Uikey and five others before a court that sent them to judicial custody on Friday. The two others will be produced in court on Saturday.