This story is from January 2, 2015

Mining mafia attack deputy ranger in Rewa

A week after forest officers who went to investigate illegal sand mining around Son Gharial sanctuary in Sidhi district were attacked by mining mafia, a deputy ranger was brutally assaulted in adjoining Rewa district on Thursday.
Mining mafia attack deputy ranger in Rewa
BHOPAL: A week after forest officers who went to investigate illegal sand mining around Son Gharial sanctuary in Sidhi district were attacked by mining mafia, a deputy ranger was brutally assaulted in adjoining Rewa district on Thursday.
The incident took place at Rewa’s Katra village. Police said deputy ranger V P Tripathi had gone to probe a complaint of illegal sand mining in the area when he was attacked by Ramdas Pandey and two others.
Three of them have been booked and police have launched investigation.
The earlier incident was reported from Sidhi’s Bhitri village, where a team led by assistant conservator of forest (protection), D P Gupta was attacked. Sources said those behind the assault, included notorious criminal Rinku Shukla. Legal action is being initiated against Shukla. The fact-finding team was sent by state’s chief wildlife warden Narendra Kumar.
On December 8, National Green Tribunal had summoned top wildlife authorities of Madhya Pradesh and Union government after taking note of a petition seeking ban on illegal sand mining around Son Gharial sanctuary in Sidhi.
Tribunal also directed state government to take measures to stop illegal mining in the area. State forest department has been asked to put on record the impact of such measures in past six months. Next hearing has been posted for January 14.
The plea before the green panel was filed by advocate and social activist Nithyanand Mishra. He claimed sand mining around Son river was posing threat to the endangered ghariyals in the sanctuary which straddles UP and MP.
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