Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
A forest ranger who suffered severe burn injuries while bravely trying to control a forest fire died during treatment on Saturday afternoon. The incident has triggered grief within the forest department and among locals.
According to officials, a wildfire had recently broken out in the forest area under the Manpur forest range in Yavatmal district. A team of forest personnel rushed to control the blaze. During the operation, forest ranger Vijay Shinganjude (55) was working along with his colleagues when the wind direction suddenly changed, intensifying the fire and surrounding him from all sides. In an attempt to save himself, he took shelter near a tree, but the intense flames caused the tree to burn and collapse. He sustained around 60% burn injuries. Colleagues rescued him and first admitted him to a local hospital. Due to his critical condition, he was later shifted to hospitals in Nagpur and a private hospital on the Beed bypass in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Despite several days of treatment, he succumbed to his injuries on Saturday afternoon. After post-mortem at the government hospital, the body will be sent to Yavatmal, forest officials said. Following the incident, there are renewed demands for stronger safety measures for forest staff who risk their lives while controlling wildfires. Recently, a major fire at Daulatabad Fort also caused significant damage to biodiversity, highlighting the lack of adequate safety equipment for forest personnel in the region.