Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), May 29 (IANS): A forest guard in Uttar Pradesh was allegedly assaulted by a mob in Pilibhit while trying to rescue a sloth bear that had entered a village.

The police lodged an FIR on Thursday evening following a written complaint filed by the victim after the Wednesday incident in Piparia Santosh village.

According to reports, the incident took place when the forest guard, Harshit Mishra, attempted to stop villagers, armed with sticks, from chasing the sloth bear.

One of the villagers, Suresh, attacked the guard with a stick, snatched his mobile phone and crushed it. Within no time, the accused was joined by 30-35 villagers. Mishra managed to escape by running away from the spot.

Divisional forest officer, Sanjeev Kumar, along with forest force, inspected the area where the incident took place and informed the Madhotanda police station.

Sanjeev Kumar said that the mob attempted to kill the sloth bear (around 4-year-old) that might have come from Barahi forest range of Pilibhit tiger reserve, hardly 1.5 km from the village.

SHO Shahroz Anwar said that the police have booked Suresh and 30-35 unidentified accused under section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the IPC and section 9 (prohibits hunting) and 51 (imprisonment) of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

He said that the police were searching for the accused who were on the run.