NEW DELHI:

The Supreme Court of India has taken serious cognizance of the tragic killing of a forest ranger in Rajasthan, who was allegedly crushed to death by a dumper truck while attempting to crack down on illegal mining. Emphasizing the gravity of the threat posed by criminal mining syndicates, the apex court asserted that mandatory preventive detention should be invoked in such cases.

The matter was brought before a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Augustine George Masih, and Sandeep Mehta during proceedings for a pending suo motu case titled 'In Re: Illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife'.

Counsel mentioning the incident informed the bench that another brutal attack had claimed the life of a forest officer in Rajasthan. Taking immediate note, the bench directed the counsel representing the Rajasthan government to come prepared with a comprehensive response and posted the matter for further hearing on October 6.

"There should be mandatory preventive detention in these cases," the Supreme Court observed during the proceedings.

Tragic Incident in Chhoti Sadri

The incident unfolded late Monday evening within the Chhoti Sadri forest area. Forest Ranger Pratap Singh Chundawat, alongside a forest guard, rushed to the location following specific intelligence inputs regarding unauthorized mining activity.

According to local officials, Ranger Singh attempted to intercept a dumper transporting soil illegally. Instead of stopping, the driver allegedly rammed into the official, dragging him and his motorcycle for several meters before fleeing the scene. Critically injured, Singh was initially rushed to a local medical facility and subsequently referred to the district hospital in Nimbahera, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

Divisional Forest Officer Suresh Chandra Agarwal confirmed that a dedicated forest department team had mobilized precisely to act upon credible intelligence reports regarding illicit resource extraction in the protected zone.

A Broader Judicial Crackdown

The apex court has repeatedly taken a firm stance against the unchecked plunder of natural resources and the escalating violence directed at frontline environmental officers. In previous directives, the top court stressed that preventive detention orders must be handed down against individuals facilitating illegal sand mining operations in and around eco-sensitive zones like the National Chambal Sanctuary, underlining that such offenders "eat into natural resources and deserve no sympathy".

Furthermore, the judiciary has consistently pushed for stringent, continuous enforcement action—not merely against vehicle drivers, but extending full criminal prosecution to owners, financiers, operators, and contractors forming the backbone of organized illegal mining networks.