Srinagar, April 28 -- The action came after a formal complaint was lodged by the Doodh Ganga Forest Range Chadoora, alleging that Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat of Chera Khal Watkaloo and Bashir Ahmad Wagay of Chowdhary Gund were involved in the illegal extraction of sand and clay in the Darwan and Chalyan areas of the Doodh Ganga Forest Range.

The accused have been reportedly using heavy machinery, including a JCB machine, to excavate the forest land for an extended period. However, their activities intensified during the recent Pahalgam killings when law enforcement was preoccupied with maintaining public order, according to local sources.

The FIR, registered under number 26/2025 on April 28, 2025, charges the accused with theft and damage to for...