September 12, 2025

BHOPAL: Imagine a scene straight out of the history books—arrows flying and slings cracking—right here in 21st century Madhya Pradesh! That’s exactly what happened in the quiet Bamori forest belt in Guna district, where an old, bitter land fight has suddenly turned into a dramatic clash. The two tribal groups, the Bhils from Chakri village and the Bhilalas from Chikari, have been at loggerheads over roughly 300 bighas (60 hectares) of forest land. The Bhilalas are accused of grabbing land, while the Bhils claim it’s theirs because it lies right near their homes. Both villages are so remote, almost touching Rajasthan’s border and about 80 km from Guna’s main town, that they have held onto ancient, traditional weapons like bows and arrows all these years. Trouble started when forest officials called for a panchayat (village meeting) on Tuesday to solve the dispute. But instead of peace, anger flared around 5 pm, and the forest clearing became a battlefield. Around 300 to 400 villagers started fighting fiercely, shooting arrows and hurling stones. During the chaos, 55-year-old Gangaram Bhil collapsed with an arrow stuck in his chest. His body lay in the village all night, with villagers wailing and tension high. A haunting video of his body and grieving women spread on social media, giving a glimpse of the pain and fury. District Collector Kishore Kanyal told TOI, "The dispute is over 300 bighas of forest land. Forest officers had called a panchayat to inform both groups; however, the situation turned violent. We are trying to resolve the issue. Necessary action is being taken." Police said it’s not clear if Gangaram died from the arrow or a stone. "We didn’t find blood around the arrow wound—it could even be antemortem," said Guna SP Ankit Soni, adding that doctors' reports are awaited. Police and officials camped four kilometers away overnight to avoid another clash. Early Wednesday, an ambulance reached the village with police escort to take Gangaram's body for a post-mortem. SP Soni confirmed that a case for murder and rioting has been filed against 16 members of the Bhilala community; two have been arrested. Police also seized a muzzle-loading gun, three tractors, and 12 bikes from the spot. No complaint has been received from the Bhils yet. This age-old feud turned forest battlefield shows how deep land and tradition run in these tribal communities. Will peace return, or will the arrows fly again? Only time will tell.

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Tags: Madhya pradesh, Land dispute, Tribal clash, Bhil community, Forest land, Guna district,