At the time when unabated encroachment in Lawkhowa Wildlife Sanctuary is going on posing a threat to the sanctuary, a forest guard on duty had to resort to firing to stop an alleged attempt of encroachment by a group of people in Lawkhowa recently. However, the most unfortunate thing was that the forest guard who was only discharging his duty, was ultimately arrested by Nagaon Police on receipt of an FIR from a section of people, without going through the complaint lodged by the Forest Department against the encroachers. The indifferent attitude of the police towards the FIR lodged by the Forest Department and the arrest of the forest guard on duty has demoralised the on-duty forest officials, who risk their lives against encroachers and poachers. The Forest Department has demanded the immediate release of the arrested guard as the circumstance compelled him to fire while performing his duty. This arrest will encourage encroachers, who have already converted the sanctuary into a barren grazing field and have already encroached most of the areas inside it.