Gujarat :  Forest Land Dispute Explodes into Violence in Banaskantha, 47 Officials Injured

Banaskantha | Gujarat — What began as a routine administrative exercise to resolve a long-pending forest land dispute suddenly spiralled into shocking violence in Padaliya village of Danta taluka, Banaskantha district, on Friday afternoon (December 13). In one of the most serious attacks on government officials in recent times, a large mob of locals launched a coordinated assault on a joint team of the forest department, police and revenue officials, leaving 47 officers and employees seriously injured.

The incident occurred when teams from the forest department and police reached Padaliya village to address a long-standing dispute over forest department land. According to officials, plantation and nursery work was underway on forest survey number 9 when tensions flared without warning.

“A large crowd suddenly rushed in, surrounded our teams and began indiscriminate stone pelting,” a senior police officer said, describing the sudden escalation. What followed was chaos, fear and bloodshed.

Stones, Slingshots and Arrows Used

As the situation worsened, the mob—armed with stones, slingshots and arrowheads—attacked officers from all sides. In an attempt to regain control, police fired tear gas shells. However, instead of dispersing, the crowd became more aggressive, intensifying the attack.

Government vehicles belonging to the police and forest department were also targeted. Several vehicles were set on fire amid the stone pelting, causing extensive damage and further escalating tensions in the area.

Senior Officer Critically Injured

All 47 injured officers and employees were rushed to Ambaji Government Hospital for immediate medical attention. Among them, Ambaji Police Inspector R.B. Gohil sustained critical injuries. As his condition deteriorated, he was urgently referred to Palanpur Civil Hospital by the Local Crime Branch for advanced treatment. Two officers in total were shifted to Palanpur, while the remaining injured personnel received treatment at Ambaji.

Medical officials later confirmed that while the injuries were serious, the condition of all the injured officers is currently stable and under control.

Collector Calls It a Pre-Planned Attack

Banaskantha District Collector Mihir Patel, who immediately rushed to Ambaji after receiving information about the incident, termed the violence “pre-planned and extremely serious.”

“This was not a spontaneous reaction. A mob of nearly 500 people attacked government teams in a planned manner,” Collector Patel said. “Officers from the police, forest and revenue departments were deliberately targeted using stones, slingshots and arrowheads.”

He added that the dispute relates to forest department land located just 12 kilometres from Ambaji, where official work was being carried out lawfully.

Heavy Police Deployment, Legal Action Begins

Following the incident, senior officials including the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) reached Ambaji Civil Hospital to review the situation and assess the condition of the injured staff. A heavy police force has since been deployed in Padaliya village to prevent further unrest.

“The situation remains tense, but under control,” a police official said, adding that strict legal action will be taken against those involved in the attack. Investigations are underway to identify the perpetrators and establish accountability.

Government Assures Support

Collector Mihir Patel personally visited the injured officers at the hospital and instructed medical authorities to ensure the best possible treatment. “Attacking public servants performing their duty will not be tolerated,” he said, assuring full government support to the injured personnel.