A 55-year-old farmer was allegedly shot dead by a forest ranger

VARANASI A 55-year-old farmer was shot dead by a forest department supervisor in Mahuria Tola village under Shahganj police area of ​​Sonbhadra following a dispute over cattle grazing on Friday evening, police said. The accused, who was also seriously injured in the confrontation, was transferred to the BHU Traumatology Center after initial treatment at the district hospital.

The incident involved Banwari Pal, a resident of Rajpur village, who was tending his buffaloes near the Hadhadwa hill, adjacent to the Mahuria dak bungalow. Sukhan Baiga, a ranger of the forest department, reportedly confronted Pal for grazing cattle in the forest area, leading to a heated altercation.

Police said Baiga also sustained serious injuries in the altercation. On receiving the report, officers along with family members reached the spot, taking Baiga to the district hospital for treatment before his transfer to Varanasi.

Inspector Vandana Singh, Station Officer, confirmed that a case has been registered under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on a complaint filed by Jai Prakash, son of the deceased.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Sonbhadra, Tribhuvan Nath Tripathi, said the conflict over cattle grazing led to the forest allegedly attacking the farmer with an arrow. “A case has been registered and further investigations are on,” he said.