Dumper crushes forest ranger stopping illegal sand mining, mafia link suspected
A forest ranger was killed in Rajasthan’s Pratapgarh district after he was allegedly struck and dragged by a dumper while attempting to stop illegal mining activity, officials said. The incident took place late Monday night in the Chhoti Sadri forest area, where Forest Ranger Pratap Singh Chundawat had reached along with a forest guard following a tip-off about unauthorised mining.
According to officials, Chundawat tried to intercept a dumper carrying soil when the vehicle allegedly hit him and dragged him, along with his motorcycle, for several metres.
The driver then fled the spot. Chundawat sustained critical injuries and was initially taken to a hospital before being referred to the district hospital in Nimbahera, where he died during treatment.
Divisional Forest Officer Suresh Chandra Agarwal said the Forest Department had received information about illegal mining in the forest area and subsequently sent a team to take action.
During the operation, officials seized an earth-moving machine and a tractor, while the dumper involved in the incident remained to be traced.
"A JCB and a tractor have been seized and dumper is yet to be seized. We are investigating the incident and taking necessary action," Agarwal said.
Officials said the dumper driver and the JCB operator allegedly involved in the excavation escaped after the incident.
A search has been launched to locate the dumper and identify and apprehend those involved. Several Forest Department officials also reached the site following the incident as the department began its investigation.
Agarwal said the Forest Department had also demanded that Chundawat be accorded "martyr" status in recognition of his death while carrying out official duties.
Police officials did not comment on the incident, citing their deployment for local body election duty.
The cop’s death has also triggered a political reaction in the state. Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra expressed grief over Chundawat’s death and questioned the law-and-order situation in the state.
"The news of the brutal crushing of Forest Department Ranger Pratap Singh Chundawat ji by a dumper while he was in Pratapgarh's Chhotisadri to stop illegal mining, and his subsequent death during treatment, is extremely heartbreaking.
"This is not merely the murder of an officer; it is an open challenge to the law and order system in Rajasthan. The question is, how has the mining mafia in the state become so fearless that it no longer fears even taking the lives of officials?"
He further alleged that the BJP government's focus is solely on "looting" public mandates and "murdering democracy"; upholding law and order and reining in the mining mafia are not priorities for the government.
The Forest Department’s investigation is now expected to focus on tracing the dumper and its driver, determining the circumstances surrounding the illegal excavation and establishing responsibility for the ranger’s death.
Further action is likely once those involved are identified and the investigation progresses.- EndsWith PTI inputsPublished By: Vivek Published On: Sep 22, 2026 22:17 IST
