Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 18 January 2025
In a late-night operation on January 16, 2025, a routine forest patrol in Port Mout, Brindaban Reserved Forest – Block 1, Caddlegunj, turned violent when forest officials confronted individuals involved in illegal sawing of a Padauk Tree. The incident escalated as the offenders resisted arrest, leading to an assault on a forest worker.
The forest team apprehended the suspects while they were illegally sawing a Padauk tree. During the operation, one of the offenders, identified as Deepak Singh alias Shilbu, attacked a forest worker with a machete, causing injury. The situation intensified when Shilbu’s brother, Ghan Shyam Singh alias Deepu, arrived at the scene armed with a machete. He issued death threats to the officials and demanded his brother’s release. Taking advantage of the darkness, the offenders managed to flee the scene.
Following the attack, Range Officer Tushnabad lodged a formal complaint at PS Ograbraj. A case was promptly registered under relevant legal sections, and a dedicated team, led by SI Devanand Pathak, SHO PS Ograbraj, was formed to apprehend the culprits. The team included ASI Ranjit Baroi, Head Constables Nelson Kumar Kindo and Bijoy Sarkar, and Police Constable Abubacker Siddique.
On January 17, 2025, the accused were tracked down, arrested, and brought to PS Ograbraj for interrogation. The weapons used in the attack were recovered and seized. Subsequently, the offenders were produced before the Hon’ble Court, which remanded them to judicial custody.
The operation was conducted under the leadership of Mr. Brij Mohan Meena, DANIPS, SDPO Bambooflat, and the overall supervision of Mr. Manoj Kumar Meena, IPS, Senior Superintendent of Police, South Andaman District.
The authorities have urged the public to actively support law enforcement by reporting any criminal or illegal activities to the police via helpline numbers 100, 112, or 03192-236641. The identity of informants will remain confidential.