Maharashtra: Couple arrested for assaulting pregnant forest guard on duty

The police said Ramchandra is the former deputy sarpanch of Palsawade village in Satara and the president of a local forest management committee. The probe revealed that he attacked the forest guard on Wednesday following a dispute over the shifting of forest labour without informing him.

The accused has been arrested this morning and will face the law at its strictest. Such acts will not be tolerated. https://t.co/04shu6ahiz

— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) January 20, 2022

On January 17, Sanap took two female forest workers for some work related to wild animals, which is part of her job. Pratibha strongly objected to it saying the women were given the task of trimming small bushes. When Sanap insisted that she had the right to take the workers, Pratibha abused and slapped her.

The next day, Ramchandra abused Sanap’s husband Suryaji Thombre over the phone and threatened him. On January 19, Sanap once again took the women for some work when Pratibha and her husband reached the spot and started assaulting them.

Thombre, who is also a forest guard, was with Sanap. Thombre said, “Jankar had threatened us on January 17. I complained to senior officials about it. As per the instructions of seniors, I went on duty along with Sindhu Sanap. After seeing me, Pratibha Jankar started beating me with chappals. Sanap intervened and tried to stop her. But then Ramchandra and Pratibha thrashed Sanap badly. The couple even kicked her in the stomach. I filmed a video of the incident on my cell phone.”

The video soon went viral with even state Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray sharing it on his Twitter handle. Thackeray promised to take stern action against the culprits.

Sanap told media persons, “(Ramchandra) Jankar was demanding money from me. I was not allowing him to do corruption. So he had threatened us. While working in my jurisdiction, Jankar and his wife thrashed me and my husband.”

“The accused couple were produced before a magistrate court and remanded in police custody till January 22,” said Sub-Inspector Dyaneshwar Dalvi, who is investigating the case.

Jankar and his wife have been booked under sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to public servant in discharge of duty), 504 (intentional insult, provocation), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.