Sarpanch threatens forest officer over illegal mining

Gurgaon: A village sarpanch has been booked along with five others for illegal mining in the Aravalis and threatening a forest officer. The sarpanch allegedly manhandled the officer and threatened him of dire consequences when the latter stopped a tractor carrying illegally-mined stones in the Aravalis near Gairatpur Bas village.
Vikram Singh, range forest officer, spotted a tractor coming out of the hills filled with stones on June 28. The officer stopped it and was taking a photograph when four people reached the spot.
The men started arguing with him for stopping the tractor. One of the accused identified himself as Vinod, the sarpanch of Gairatpur Bas. “He told me not to visit this area ever again and threatened me of dire consequences if I did so. Vinod and his associates are engaged in illegal mining and claimed to have contacts with senior officials,” the officer said.
He submitted a complaint to the forest department, which forwarded it to police. On the basis of the complaint, an FIR was registered against the sarpanch and five others on Wednesday under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in the discharge of duty), 188 (disobedience to order by public servant), 379 (theft), 332 (causing hurt), 353 (use of criminal force to public servant in the execution of his duty), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of IPC at Badshapur police station.