Thane: Five booked for abusing and manhandling forest officials at entrance of SGNP

Police in Thane city of Maharashtra have registered a case against five persons for allegedly manhandling and abusing forest officials at the Yeoor entrance of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), an official said.

The station house officer of Vartak Nagar police station said the alleged incident took place on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday when the accused arrived on three motorcycles.

Barring local residents, government officials and those with special permission, others are not allowed to enter the protected forest from dusk to dawn, said the official.

When the men were stopped at the gate, they abused and manhandled forest personnel and also threatened to kill them, the official said citing the complainant. The accused then allegedly sped past the guards and entered the forest.

The five have been identified as Nilesh Badal, Sudan Ale, Prakash Saud, Pawan Lokhande, and Rohit Kedare, said the official, adding that no arrest has been made yet.