Forest Guard Killed by Sand Mafia in Morena; Murder Case Registered

A six-member Forest Department team came under attack from sand mafia operatives during a raid on illegal sand transportation near Ranpur village in Morena district on Wednesday morning. Forest guard Harkesh Gurjar was run over by a speeding tractor-trolley and died on the spot. Police have registered a murder case and launched a search for the main accused, driver Vinod Kori.

Team Raids Illegal Sand Transport

The team, led by Game Range Officer Veer Kumar Tirki, left for the spot around 5:30 am in a government vehicle after receiving specific information about illegal sand movement. The personnel included forest guards Sandeep, Shatrughan, Vinod and Harkesh Gurjar. They reached the Ranpur village crossroads in the Dimani police station area to intercept a sand-laden tractor-trolley.

Driver Attempts to Flee

According to the complaint filed by Veer Kumar Tirki at Dimani police station, driver Vinod Kori tried to escape with the vehicle when the team attempted to stop the operation. As Harkesh Gurjar stepped forward to block the tractor-trolley, Kori allegedly ran him over and sped away from the scene.

Guard Run Over on Spot

Harkesh Gurjar suffered fatal injuries and was declared dead at the spot. The incident occurred around 6 am. The tractor-trolley, reportedly jointly owned by Sonu Chauhan and Pawan Tomar, was carrying illegally mined sand at the time of the confrontation.

CCTV Footage Surfaces

CCTV cameras at a nearby petrol pump captured the accused Vinod Kori arriving with the same tractor-trolley minutes after the incident. Footage shows the vehicle narrowly escaping an overturn while entering the premises. Police are treating the visuals as crucial evidence in the case.

Officials Reach Crime Scene

Morena Collector Lokesh Kumar Jangid, Superintendent of Police Sameer Saurabh and Divisional Forest Officer Harishchandra Baghel rushed to the spot and spoke to eyewitnesses. The senior officials inspected the area and reviewed initial findings from the Forest Department team.

Political Leaders Intervene

Banku alias Captain Kansana, son of Agriculture Minister Edal Singh Kansana, reached the post-mortem house and demanded that a named FIR be registered against the accused. He alleged that police were pressuring the victim’s family over the phone to accept a general FIR. The Leader of Opposition also criticised the state government, claiming law and order had “completely collapsed”.

Police Assure Swift Action

Collector Jangid said he has directed police to raid possible hideouts of the accused and assured that the culprit would be arrested at the earliest. Additional SP Surendra Pal Singh confirmed that a murder case has been registered at Dimani police station and additional forces have been deployed in the area. The family of forest guard Harkesh Gurjar is in a state of shock following the killing.

The forest guard killed in Morena has once again highlighted the growing risks faced by frontline forest personnel while tackling illegal sand mining in the region. A manhunt is underway and further arrests are expected soon.