Ludhiana: The Sudhar police have booked a former female sarpanch for allegedly felling a Peepal tree within a village cremation ground. The legal action follows a formal complaint lodged by the district development and panchayat officer (DDPO) office against Rajveer Kaur, the former sarpanch of Dhalia village in Mullanpur.The matter came to light after a local villager submitted a complaint alleging that the sacred tree was cut down during Rajveer Kaur’s tenure. Following this, the block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) of Pakhowal submitted a detailed report to the police. According to ASI Manohar Lal of the Sudhar police station, the investigation—supported by a report from the DDPO Ludhiana and subsequent legal opinion—found the former sarpanch responsible for the act.
Police officials emphasized that Peepal trees are protected and cannot be felled without explicit permission from the concerned authorities. Sub-Inspector Gurdeep Singh, SHO of Sudhar police station, confirmed that the matter is currently being probed to determine the full extent of the violation.While Rajveer Kaur has been named as the primary accused, police sources indicated that the investigation remains ongoing. Authorities added that if the involvement of any other individuals is uncovered during the proceedings, they will also face legal action.
