Land dispute near Ambaji turns violent; 47 police, forest staff injured

At least 47 police and forest department personnel were injured after a long-running land dispute escalated into serious violence near the pilgrimage town of Ambaji in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district on Saturday. The clash broke out during a plantation drive on contested land, triggering large-scale unrest among tribal residents who opposed the activity, claiming ownership of the land.

Plantation drive sparks unrest

The incident occurred near Padaliya village and adjoining areas, where officials said more than 1,000 local residents gathered and turned aggressive. According to the forest department, the land is government-owned forest land. Members of the tribal community, however, have disputed this claim and maintain that the land belongs to them.

Tensions rose when forest officials, accompanied by daily-wage workers, began planting saplings on the disputed plot. What initially began as a heated argument soon escalated, despite repeated attempts by police and forest officials to pacify the crowd.

Stone-pelting, arrows and arson reported

Police said the confrontation quickly turned violent, with protesters allegedly resorting to stone-pelting and attacking officials using bows and arrows. Several government vehicles were damaged, and two forest department vehicles were reportedly set on fire. The only access road leading to the village was also blocked, severely hampering movement and rescue operations.

Officials said the crowd used drums to mobilise more people from nearby areas. Protesters later climbed a nearby hill, from where they continued pelting stones and firing arrows at police and forest personnel positioned below.

Senior officer injured; tear gas and firing used

During the violence, Ambaji police inspector R.B. Gohil was hit by an arrow and reportedly collapsed unconscious at the spot, adding to the chaos at the scene.

To bring the situation under control, police initially fired around 20 tear gas shells. As the violence continued for nearly two to two-and-a-half hours, police and forest personnel reportedly fired more than 50 rounds in self-defence to disperse the crowd.

Officials said more than 35 personnel sustained serious injuries during the prolonged clash. The total number of injured personnel later rose to 47. All the injured were taken to Ambaji Civil Hospital for treatment.

Connectivity issues delay reinforcements

The situation was further complicated by poor mobile network connectivity in the remote area, which delayed communication with Palanpur headquarters. Officials said this hindered the arrival of reinforcements during the peak of the violence.

Senior police officers, including the Banaskantha superintendent of police, later reached the spot with additional forces to stabilise the situation.

Tense calm, probe ordered

A tense atmosphere continues to prevail in the affected villages. Security has been tightened in and around the area to prevent further escalation.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. Officials said efforts are underway to restore peace and resolve the underlying land dispute through administrative and legal channels.