Pune: Forest Department Arrests Accused For Setting Fire In Reserved Forest In Junnar
Pune: Forest Department Arrests Accused For Setting Fire In Reserved Forest In Junnar
Junnar, March 9, 2026: The Forest Department has intensified its crackdown on those responsible for starting forest fires, with several accused now arrested for allegedly setting fire to a government reserved forest in Junnar taluka.
According to officials, the incident occurred on March 7, 2026, in Compartment No. 84 of the Khadgaon Reserved Forest near Manganewadi village in Junnar. Authorities said that five individuals allegedly trespassed into the protected forest area and deliberately set it on fire, resulting in large-scale damage to forest vegetation and wildlife habitats.
Following the incident, a case was registered under Section 26(1)(b) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. The accused were identified as Karan Haribhau Pardhi and Akshay Santosh Jadhav, along with three others from Manganewadi village in Khamgaon.
Forest officials from the Junnar Forest Range initially apprehended two of the accused—Karan Haribhau Pardhi and Akshay Santosh Jadhav—after chasing them at night and capturing them through a coordinated operation. However, three other suspects—Akshay Namdev Khandagale, Karan Balu Kedari and Sainath Babu Khandagale—managed to flee the scene taking advantage of darkness.
The arrested suspects were produced before the Court of the First Class Judicial Magistrate in Junnar on March 8, 2026, where the court remanded them to two days of police custody. Acting on this order, a Forest Department team launched a search operation and successfully traced the absconding accused.
Officials later detained the remaining suspects and conducted a site inspection at the location where the fire was allegedly started. During the inspection, the team documented the extent of damage caused to the forest area before formally arresting the suspects.
On March 9, 2026, two of the accused—Akshay Namdev Khandagale and Sainath Babu Khandagale—were produced again before the Judicial Magistrate First Class in Junnar. The court remanded them to one day of police custody for further investigation.
The prosecution was represented by Junnar Range Forest Officer Pradeep Chavan and Special Assistant Government Prosecutor S. S. Avchar. The investigation in the case is being led by Range Forest Officer Pradeep Chavan.
Speaking about the case, Chavan stated that trespassing into government reserved forests and deliberately setting fires are serious violations under the Indian Forest Act. Such offences are punishable with imprisonment of up to two years and a fine of up to ₹10,000, and are classified as non-bailable offences.
He warned that strict action would be taken against anyone involved in forest fires. Authorities also cautioned the public not to enter reserved forest areas illegally or start fires, failing which strict action would be taken under the Indian Forest Act and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Pune Conservator of Forests Ashish Thackeray and Junnar Deputy Conservator of Forests Prashant Khade. The action was executed by a joint team including probationary Deputy Conservator of Forests Lokesh Patil, Assistant Conservators Amrit Shinde and Smita Rajhans, along with forest staff from the Junnar range. 
