2 forest watchers held for Red ties, face UAPA cases

BHOPAL: Police arrested two “forest watchers” at Kanha National Park in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh and booked them beneath UAPA, on the cost of getting ties with Maoists, triggering unrest amongst forest workers. Many are actually looking for switch for concern of getting caught between Maoists and police.
“Watchers” are those who patrol forests on foot. “Hamare logon ko tiger se dar nahi lagta saheb, police se lagta hai (We are more scared of police than tigers),” a forest officer stated.
Police stated they arrested the duo, Ashok Kumar Lal and Santosh Kumar Lal, each 28, throughout a Maoist encounter on Sunday wherein an rebel was killed.
“Both of them were good patrol guards, always vigilant. What are they supposed to do? Maoists threaten to kill their families if they don’t help them and, if they do, police arrest them for supporting anti-nationals,” the forest officer, requesting to not be named, stated.
Mandla police say the duo was caught “signalling” info to Maoists on the motion of safety forces. From atop a hillock, they might whistle in a sure means or strike stones collectively as per a prearranged code to warn Maoists, police stated.
Forest officers keep the duo was certainly “signalling” to Maoists — however to gather their meals and ration. “They were not signalling Maoists about movement of forces. It’s a wrong perception,” the officer added.
Though the duo claimed it was their first interplay with Maoists, investigators say they discovered handwritten notes and different proof suggesting a a lot deeper reference to insurgents.