Kolkata: A forest guard was killed in an encounter with suspected poachers in Sunderbans on Saturday night while he was on night patrol along with his team.
The deceased Amalendu Halder (59) was patrolling the forest accompanied by three others on a small boat in Gosaba I compartment at around 10 pm when they came across a team of 15-20 odd miscreants who had suspectedly come for poaching of deer. Halder, a resident of Raidighi, worked under Netidhopani beat of STR (Sunderban Tiger Reserve).
The patrolling forest team confronted them, however the intruders who were suspectedly from Bangladesh attacked the forest staff. Three others jumped into the river in a desperate bid to save their lives and somehow managed to escape.
Preliminary probe has revealed that Halder was hacked to death with sharp cutting weapons like axes. Deep injury marks were found on the head of the deceased. “We have recovered the body of the forest guard and sent it for post-mortem. No bullet injury was found in his body. Some sharp cutting weapon has been used for the murder act. We have started a probe and registered a murder case on the basis of a complaint from the state
Forest department,” a senior police official said.
According to police sources, some documents indicating that the attackers were from Bangladesh were found near the body of Halder that was recovered from Morabani Canal.
“We have lodged an FIR. Massive mobilisation of staff has taken place to apprehend the culprits who are thought to be in Indian waters. Senior officers of the STR are in the field,” said Debal Roy, state Chief Wildlife Warden.
Roy added that the department will conduct a thorough enquiry of the incident and take necessary steps to curb such unfortunate incidents in the days to come.