Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Forest department has registered a Preliminary Offence Report (POR) against one identified person and others for holding/participating in a mud car rally held without permission in the jungles of Rehli in Sehore district on August 15.
The investigation is underway and no arrest has been made so far. The accused have been charged with violating different sections of the Wild Life Act.
Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) Rajesh Khare told Free Press that POR has been filed after it came to fore that around 20 to 25 people participated in mud rally in dense forest area of Rehli in Sehore district without seeking any requisite permission for the same. No one has been arrested in this connection, he added.
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People with knowledge of the matter said that the spot where the mud rally was held is merely five km away from Ratapani Sanctuary.
The POR mentions that a mud rally was held in Khanpura beat area of Rehli. Yasin Khan and a few unidentified people have been booked for violating Wildlife Prevention Act 1972’s Section2, Section 9, Section 51, etc.
As per the Panchnama, forest officials came to know that around 20 vehicles were spotted near Bhagner river and they were moving in the circle, generating loud noise as well. The spot is close to Ratapani Sanctuary where tigers and leopards move frequently. The noise generated by vehicles also impacted the wild animals.
It is learnt that the forest department got air of mud rally after a video of the event surfaced on social media. This video, however, was later deleted. Senior forest officers are monitoring the investigation.
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