Wood smugglers attack beat guards in Panchmahal

VADODARA: Gangs involved in stealing sand and wood from Panchmahal seem to be becoming audacious these days. Such gangs attacked law enforcement officials in the district when attempts were made to nab them.
A team of the mines and minerals department from Godhra were attacked by a group of persons late on Saturday evening. Early on Monday morning, a group believed to be involved in illegal tree felling from forests allegedly attacked forest near Godhra.The incident involving the mines and minerals department officials had taken place when they swooped down upon a gang removing sand illegally from Goma river near Godhra. While one of the tractors escaped from the spot, another got trapped in the sand. The officials of the department started the procedure to bring it out using another tractor.
However, a mob reached the spot and started pelting stones and ran away with the tractor. Assistant geologist Nirav Barot said that the sand was being taken by a group led by Manu Bildar and Raju Bildar. "The Bildars have a notorious reputation and some of their family members have offences registered against them over various issues. A couple of them have even been detained under the Prevention of Anti-social Activities Act," said Barot.
The incident involving the forest officials took place when beat guards spotted a tractor trolley carrying wood on Vejalpur Road near Godhra. They stopped the tractor and when no documents regarding the wood were found, it was decided to detain the tractor.
But before the team could reach the office, unidentified persons came on motorcycles and intercepted the tractor trolley and the vehicle the beat guards were travelling in. They beat up beat guard R K Gadhvi and other personnel with him. Gadhvi's shot gun was also snatched away, but was later thrown away. An offence regarding the incident was registered by Godhra taluka police.