An 85-year-old woman from Sara Gondi village in Chhattisgarh’s Khairagarh district was left in tears after a peepal tree she had planted and cared for over two decades was cut down by two men. The incident, captured in a widely circulated video, showed the woman mourning beside the felled tree.
According to Khairagarh resident Narendra Kumar Soni, the woman, identified as Deola Bai, had planted a small sapling in her courtyard around twenty years ago and tended to it daily. “She treated the tree as her own child,” Soni said, describing how she watered and protected it for years, Times of India reported.
The peepal tree, which villagers said was regarded as sacred and worshipped by many, was reportedly felled for personal benefit. The video, which spread rapidly on social media, showed Deola Bai crying next to the fallen trunk as locals gathered around in distress. The footage prompted strong reactions online, with users expressing sympathy and highlighting the emotional connection between people and nature.
Police from the Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai (KCG) district later confirmed that two men had been arrested in connection with the incident. Station House Officer (SHO) Anil Sharma said the tree was located on government land and had been revered by residents for nearly two decades, according to the news outlet. A case was filed following a complaint lodged by Pramod Patel, a villager from Sara Gondi.
In his statement, Patel alleged that Imran Memon, the son of Iqbal Memon of Khairagarh, had attempted to chop down the tree with the help of an accomplice. Their initial attempt was halted after villagers intervened and objected.
However, police said the tree was discovered fully cut down the following morning. An official statement released on confirmed that a case had been registered under Section 298 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to deliberate acts intended to offend religious sentiments, and Section 3(5) of the same code.
SHO Sharma added that the accused had admitted to cutting down the tree in order to level the land in front of a property he had purchased. The act was reportedly carried out with assistance from Prakash Kosre of Lalpur. Investigations revealed that Kosre operated the cutting machine while Memon stood nearby to keep watch. Following the felling, both men left the site and returned to Khairagarh.
Police said the accused disposed of the cutting machine by throwing it into a river. Divers have been deployed to retrieve the equipment. Officers also seized a scooter believed to have been used in the offence, according to the TOI report.
Based on the findings, the police added further charges under Section 238 of the BNS (mischief) and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Both men were arrested, presented before court, and remanded to judicial custody.
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