Sand miners crushed two forest guards in India's Chambal sanctuary as states looked away
Illegal sand mining continued for years inside the 5,400 sq km National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary, jointly run by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, despite National Green Tribunal proceedings since 2022. On 8 January 2026 forest guard Jitendra Singh Shekhawat was run over by a sand tractor-trolley in Dholpur, Rajasthan, and died the next day; on 8 April 2026 forest guard Harikesh Gurjar was run over and killed in Morena, Madhya Pradesh. In an April 17, 2026 order the Supreme Court said the state authorities appeared to have abdicated their duties and that the circumstances 'may even warrant an inference of tacit connivance'. On 14 May the court summoned senior Rajasthan officials, citing 'administrative apathy and institutional paralysis', and on 26 May it noted a report that unregistered sand trucks were still running in Morena. The court ordered the states to disclose action against erring officials; no official has been publicly reported as charged.
the court said Rajasthan's conduct reflected "administrative apathy and institutional paralysis" in addressing illegal mining activities
posts "do not remain vacant except under compelling circumstances."
The circumstances, taken as a whole, may even warrant an inference of tacit connivance.
Counsel for Madhya Pradesh told the court the investigation into forest guard Harikesh Gurjar's death was being pursued in earnest.
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