Maninder Singh assaulted, left unconscious documenting Tarn Taran stubble burning
Maninder Singh, an officer working to stop stubble burning in Punjab's Tarn Taran, was assaulted and left unconscious while documenting farm fires for air-quality officials.
He is now undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Tarn Taran, where his condition is being closely monitored.
Singh's job is key to tackling pollution from crop burning, but this attack shows how tough enforcing these rules can be.
Local authorities have condemned the incident and promised strict action.
Tarn Taran records 354 farm fires
Punjab has seen 813 farm fire cases so far this season, a drop from last year, but Tarn Taran alone reported 354 incidents, the most in the state.
Together with Amritsar, these two districts account for nearly 64% of all recent farm fires in Punjab.