SRINAGAR: Police in Budgam have registered an FIR against two individuals accused of illegal sand mining on forest land in Chalyan village, Charar Sharief area, officials said on Monday.
The case was filed following a formal complaint lodged by the Doodh Ganga Forest Range Chadoora against the accused, identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat of Chera Khal Watkaloo and Bashir Ahmad Wagay of Chowdhary Gund, Chadoora. Both have been charged with theft and damage to forest property under FIR No. 26/2025, dated 28 April 2025, at Police Station Charar Sharief. The case invokes Section 303 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 26 of the Indian Forest Act, 1926, police sources confirmed.
According to the complaint, the accused had been using a JCB machine for extensive illegal excavation of sand and clay from the Darwan and Chalyan forest areas. Officials alleged that during the recent Pahalgam killings, when law enforcement agencies were heavily engaged in maintaining order, the accused intensified their activities.
Welcoming the action, Raja Muzaffar Bhat, a noted environmental activist, expressed gratitude towards the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Pir Panjal Forest Division Budgam, the Range Officer, and the Station House Officer (SHO) Charar Sharief for registering the FIR. He also thanked Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Irfan Rasool for his personal intervention.
Bhat, who had previously highlighted the issue through social media and a detailed article, said, “It is shameful that such criminals chose to loot forest land while the nation was mourning the massacre of 28 tourists. The accused must be severely punished, and their JCB machine and tipper confiscated.” He further called for accountability of the officials from the Geology and Mining Department, suggesting environmental compensation be recovered from them.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the protection of forest resources in the region, particularly during periods of administrative strain.
