A clash occurred during an anti-encroachment operation in Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) when local residents protested against the Forest Department’s efforts to clear alleged encroachments from forest land. The incident took place at Dhanhiya, near Thadi village, under the Valmikinagar forest range, resulting in injuries to several individuals and the burning of a JCB machine used in the operation.
A joint team comprising Forest Department and district police personnel had arrived to address the reported illegal encroachments in the VTR forest land. As the operation commenced, local residents gathered at the site and staged a protest, leading to a violent confrontation between the protesters and officials.
Amid the unrest, an agitated group set a JCB machine ablaze, disrupting the anti-encroachment initiative. Approximately six individuals, including administrative members and local residents, sustained injuries during the clash. The exact severity of these injuries is yet to be officially confirmed.
Witnesses reported that a large number of villagers, including women, congregated at the location and encircled the Forest Department team. In response to escalating tensions, personnel from Valmikinagar Police Station were summoned to the scene. Despite initial challenges in dispersing the crowd due to its size and aggressive demeanor, the situation was eventually brought under control with the intervention of SDPO Nihar Bhushan and an SSB Commandant.
