Persons bound to assist forest officer and police officer

Every person who exercises any right in a reserved forest or who is permitted to take any forest produce from, or to cut and remove timber or to pasture cattle in such forests; and every village officer or person in any village contiguous to such forest who is employed by the Government; shall be bound to furnish without unnecessary delay to the nearest Forest Officer or Police Station-House-Officer any information he may possess respecting the occurrence of a fire in or near such forest or the commission of or intention to commit, any forest offence; and shall assist any Forest Officer or Police Officer demanding his aid- (a) in extinguishing any fire occurring in such forest; (b) in preventing any fire which may occur in the vicinity of such forest from spreading to such forest; (c) in preventing the commission in such forest of any forest offence; and (d) when there is reason to believe that any such offence has been committed in such forest, in discovering and arresting the offender.