Shiv Sena leaders arrested for assaulting forest official

Yavatmal, Jul 2: The Ghatanji police arrested seven miscreants including Shiv Sena taluka chief on charges of allegedly extorting and criminally assaulting a Range Forest Officer (RFO) on Wednesday, a police official said.

Police station officer Bharat Kamble of the Ghatanji police station said based on a complained filed by the victim, a criminal offence under Section 384, Section 395, Section 363, Section 354, Section 332, Section 427, Section 341, Section 325 and Section 34 of Indian Penal Code has been against seven miscreants, of whom two are Shiv Sena leaders, after which they were arrested in the evening.

The names of the arrested persons are Rajurwadi village resident Shiv Sena taluka chief Vijay Kondalwar, Shiv Sena taluka organiser Nilesh Chavan, Manoj Mogre, Kailash Kumre, Shankar Mogre, Nilesh Kumre and Ramdas Mogre, he said.

The accused allegedly demanded Rs 5 lakh from the RFO P S Ghatale of Ghatanji, he said. After the RFO refused, the accused allegedly attacked him at the forest nursery in Inzhala village on Ghatanji-Parva road, he said.

The seriously injured RFO was was rushed to hospital where his condition is improving, he said.

The incident caused unrest among forest employees and they threatened an agitation if the accused were not arrested immediately, he said.

Yavatmal Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Kumar Singh rushed to Ghatanji police station in the evening and instructed the police station officer to arrest the accused immediately, after which they were arrested.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Shailesh Thakur condemned the incident and said that the RFO is not corrupt.

"Earlier, I had advised the Shiv Sena District Unit Chief not to appoint those without integrity to the party's key posts, but my suggestion was ignored. Those responsible should be punished," he said.

PTI