Jaipur, Sep 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Forest Department Ranger Pratap Singh Chundawat, who was killed while leading an operation against illegal mining in Rajasthan's Pratapgarh district, is being widely hailed for his service, with public representatives, forest officials and social organisations demanding that he be accorded martyr status.
The demand has gathered momentum in the wake of the ranger's death during a late-night enforcement operation in Chhoti Sadri, where he and his team had acted on information regarding illegal mining and unauthorised transportation of soil in a forest area.
ADM Vijayesh Pandya said the request for martyr status was being forwarded to the government, while DFO Suresh Agarwal said the Forest Department would also submit a formal proposal.
For Pratap Singh's family, however, the loss is far more personal. The 40-year-old ranger was the sole breadwinner of his household. His death has left his wife, Asha Kunwar, 13-year-old daughter Gunjan, and 8-year-old son Aniruddh without their primary support.
The family had already suffered the recent death of Pratap Singh's father. His own death has now deepened the family's grief and uncertainty.
Pratap Singh had been posted in Chhoti Sadri around two years ago. During this period, he became actively involved in forest protection, wildlife monitoring, and rescue operations. He participated in rescue efforts involving tigers, leopards, pythons and crocodiles.
Colleagues and people familiar with his work also knew him as a skilled marksman and an accomplished swimmer. His work had reportedly earned wider recognition, with his name proposed for a state-level award in recognition of his service.
His death came while he was performing one of the most challenging aspects of his official duty, acting against illegal mining and unauthorised transportation of soil in a forest area.
Around 11.30 p.m. on Monday, Pratap Singh and his team reached the forest area of Chak Sukhad, near Ghati-wale Balaji in Chhoti Sadri, after receiving information about illegal mining and soil transportation.
The team found a JCB, a tractor, and a soil-loaded dumper at the site.
During the operation, the dumper was seized. Forest staff member Suresh Meghwal was inside the dumper, while Pratap Singh began returning towards the range office on his Bullet motorcycle.
According to the police account, the dumper driver suddenly accelerated the vehicle. The ranger and his motorcycle were allegedly dragged for around 50 metres. Pratap Singh sustained critical injuries and was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
What began as a routine enforcement operation against illegal mining had turned into a fatal incident, cutting short the life of a forest official who had spent years working in the field.
Following the incident, police intensified the investigation and launched a search for the dumper driver. Pratapgarh SP Vishal Jangid said several people had been detained for questioning and that all aspects of the case were being investigated. Three police teams have been deployed to locate the accused driver, and raids are being conducted at different locations, he said.
Police have also seized the JCB and tractor found at the site. Investigators are examining the role of the dumper and people allegedly associated with the illegal soil transportation.
According to reports, the dumper driver took the vehicle towards the vicinity of his village, unloaded the soil, and then fled. Three people, including JCB owner Harish Thakur, have reportedly been detained for questioning.
The person who allegedly commissioned the soil removal is also being questioned. A forensic team has collected evidence from the scene, while the ranger's body was handed over to his family following the post-mortem examination.
Pratap Singh hailed from Amrana village in the Medi area of Chittorgarh district. For his wife and two young children, his death means losing not only a husband and father but also the family's principal financial support.
His 13-year-old daughter Gunjan and 8-year-old son Aniruddh are now facing a future without the person who was supporting the household.
The circumstances are particularly painful for the family as Pratap Singh had himself recently lost his father. His last rites were performed with state honours, amid grief among family members, villagers and colleagues.
The demand to accord Pratap Singh martyr status has emerged as one of the central responses to his death. Supporters of the demand point to the circumstances in which he died -- while carrying out an official operation against illegal mining -- and his record of service in forest and wildlife protection.
MP CP Joshi has demanded martyr status along with strict action against those responsible. ADM Vijayesh Pandya said the request would be forwarded to the government.
DFO Suresh Agarwal has also said the Forest Department will formally submit a proposal to the government.
The final decision on the demand rests with the government. The incident has put a focus on forest protection challenges. Pratapgarh has a forest area of approximately 1,319 square km, making enforcement and protection a significant responsibility for the Forest Department.
The incident has also brought renewed attention to vacancies, manpower and resource constraints faced by forest officials working across large and difficult terrain.
For forest personnel, operations against illegal mining and other unauthorised activities can involve working at night and in remote areas, often in challenging conditions.
Pratap Singh's death has therefore become more than a case being investigated by police. It has also prompted questions about the risks faced by field-level forest officials and the support available to them while carrying out enforcement duties.
As the police continue searching for the accused dumper driver and the government considers the demand for martyr status, Pratap Singh's family is left to cope with an irreversible loss. For his wife and two children, the ranger who spent his career protecting forests and rescuing wildlife was, above all, the person holding their family together.
Source: IANS
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