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Onkar Singh in New Delhi
The Director General of Uttaranchal Police A K Saran has denied the hand of poachers in the murder of a forest guard on Tuesday night in the Jim Corbett National Park.
"I have asked for more details from the concerned police station. We have registered a First Information Report at Ramnagar police station and the matter is being investigated by an officer of the rank of deputy superintendent of police of Nainital district," Saran told rediff.com.
When asked if the killing of the forest guard Vipin Chander Pandey had anything to do with the gang of poachers, who were arrested recently by the state police, Saran said investigations so far have ruled out this possibility.
"This is not the handiwork of the poachers. According to the information available with us so far we believe that a criminal gang known as Katha gang has killed the forest guard. This gang operates in Bijonore belt. We have sent additional force and the combing operation is now going on in the area," Saran said.
"We have identified the gang. Six to seven persons were involved in the attack on the forest guard and his colleagues who were patrolling the area during night. We hope to catch the accused very soon," he added.
According to Sameer Sinha, Deputy Director of Corbett National Park, five rangers were patrolling the jungle when they saw a group of armed men.
"They had one of our men in their captivity. As soon as the accused saw the patrolling party they opened fire on it, killing Pandey on the spot and injuring the others. The attack took place at 6 pm in the evening," Sinha said.
According to the report lodged by two of Pandey's colleagues who suffered minor gunshot injuries, Pandey had challenged a gang of criminals who had taken another forest official, Dayal Singh Rana, into captivity.
Before Pandey could take out his gun, he was shot dead by the miscreants.
The report noted the raiders were dressed in khakis to match the uniforms of the forest guards, and they made good their escape while abandoning the abducted Rana.
Last week in another incident, criminals beat up some forest guards with sticks and injured them. It was after this incident the patrolling in the park was increased.
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