PANCHKULA, April 29 — The forest department has moved to prosecute two tourists under the Indian Forest Act after a fire broke out in Morni’s protected forest area, allegedly caused by a tossed cigarette.
Police at Chandimandir station have registered a case against two men, identified as Saurabh and Prabhjeet, under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 326(F) for using fire to damage property, Section 221 for obstructing a public servant, Section 351(2) for criminal intimidation, and Section 132 for use of criminal force against a public official. Both were granted bail shortly after arrest.
District Forest Officer Vishal Kaushik, who filed the complaint and is overseeing the investigation, said, “We are still assessing the scale of the damage, but so far it appears to be a ground fire. If they are found guilty under the Forest Act, they could be fined up to ₹1 lakh.”
He added that a detailed inquiry is underway and a final report will be submitted soon.
The incident occurred on Sunday when four individuals — two men and two women — entered the restricted forest zone in a vehicle with Punjab registration.
According to officials, one of them flicked a lit cigarette into a patch of dry pine needles, igniting the fire.
When forest staff attempted to intervene, the group allegedly became aggressive, assaulted the personnel, and fled.
However, their vehicle was stopped at Berwala Checkpost and handed over to police.
Preliminary inquiries suggest the fire was contained and did not escalate into a crown fire. Still, forest officials remain concerned over repeated fire incidents in the area.
“Last year alone, we recorded 25 to 30 fires in Morni, most of them due to stubble burning,” Kaushik noted.
Officials say the incident reinforces the urgent need for stricter enforcement of fire safety protocols in forested areas popular with tourists.
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