Forest guard murder case ‘worked out’

LAKHIMPUR KHERI: The Mailani police on Sunday claimed to have worked out the sensational murder of forest guard Sukhpal Singh and nabbed the prime accused Jaswant Singh of Pasiyanpurwa village. His accomplice, who is also his father, Ramesh is reported to be absconding.

Kheri police superintendent Ramlal Verma said, “the weapona long handle axe- was also recovered from the accused. Mailani police station incharge Brijesh Tripathi alongwith his team arrested the accused from near Jokhepurwa village when he was attempting to escape this morning. Ramesh and Jaswant both have history of illicit wood felling in reserve forest area and Ramesh had also been convicted in a murder in Gola kotwali area a few years back.”

Mailani range forest guard Sukhpal Singh (50) was found brutally murdered on the night of October 19 last with injuries on his head near Pasiyanpurwa village. His two mobile handsets were found missing. Sukhpal Singh was a meritorious forest guard and his murder left the forest officials stunned.

Kheri SP Ramlal Verma had engaged crime branch and Mailani police under DSP Gola Abhishek Pratap.

Kheri SP said during investigation it came to light that the scene of crime was close to Pasiyanpurwa village and a village boy had seen the accused having an altercation with the forest guard. Acting upon this vital clue, Mailani police closed in on Ramesh and Jaswant. Further investigations disclosed that Jaswant and Ramesh had felled Sagaun and Sakhu trees in the Dudhwa buffer zone area and sold them to a local trader Amrik alias Lalla.

SEPARATE CASE

Following the development, the Dudhwa buffer zone forest officials have lodged a seperate case under various sections of Indian forest act implicating Jaswant and his father Ramesh and Amrik alias Lalla. Dudhwa buffer zone deputydirectorAnilKumarPatel told HT that Lalla had been arrested and a request for the remand of the two nabbed by police would be moved for further inquiry.