BHOPAL: A tribal man who had gone into the forests to collect firewood for domestic use was allegedly assaulted brutally by a forest department beat guard on the suspicion of teakwood theft in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh.While the incident happened in the Singardeep forests of Kumbhapani forest range of Chhindwara district on July 7, an FIR was registered against the concerned forest guard on July 10.“The forest guard Sanjay Namdev has been booked under BNS Sections 296, 115(2) and 351(3) BNS and provisions of the Scheduled Caste/Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on the complaint by Shivpal Uikey. Investigations are underway,” in-charge of Bichhua police station Mohan Singh Marskole said. The incident happened on July 7 when the tribal man–identified as Shivpal Uikey–was returning with firewood collected from the dense forests for domestic use. He was stopped by the forest guard Sanjay Namdev, along with two chowkidars, who accused him of stealing teakwood and brutally beat him. The assault left Shivpal with severe injuries.An FIR was lodged at the Bichhua police station on Thursday evening, after the local Congress MLA and his supporters raised the issue at the police station.“The matter is being investigated and appropriate action will follow suit,” the local police station in-charge added.The accused forest guard Sanjay Namdev, however, has denied allegations made by Shivpal Uike. The forest department, meanwhile, has reportedly formed a team to investigate the matter.
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