The Vartak Nagar police have booked four individuals for allegedly cutting five tree branches without permission from the Gardens Department of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC). The accused have been identified as Laxman Waghmare, Mahadu Gaikar, Nilesh Ugade, and Yogesh Bangare, all residents of Thane, as per the FIR.
A complaint was filed by Rahul Durgude, a garden inspector of TMC, who oversees tree planting and garden maintenance in the Vartak Nagar ward. The complaint was registered on January 27.
According to the police, a written complaint was received about trees being cut in Yeoor Hills, located in Bhendi Pada, on January 13. Acting on the complaint, the garden inspector visited the site and found three tree branches cut along with two trees that had been slashed.
Following standard procedure, a complaint was filed with the Vartak Nagar police, who then registered a case under Section 8(1) and Section 21(1)(2) of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, along with other relevant sections. The police have launched an investigation into the case.
