PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Ramnagar
In a major crackdown on illegal timber smuggling, the Terai West Forest Division seized a tempo loaded with illegal teak wood and arrested three suspected smugglers. During interrogation, the accused are said to have shared crucial information, which led the forest officials to another hideout where more timbers were found hidden under a heap of fodder.
Informing this, the divisional forest officer, (DFO) P C Arya said that a joint team of forest officials and police personnel had stopped a tempo during a checking drive. “Upon inspection, the vehicle was found carrying illegal teak logs,” he added. The accused trio was identified as Manjeet and Rajkumar, both from Kashipur, Udham Singh Nagar district; and Govind from Ramnagar. They were taken into custody and questioned.
During interrogation, the three allegedly confessed to their involvement in illegal timber smuggling. Acting on their information, the forest team conducted a raid at Birpur Lachhi, where 11 illegal teak logs, hidden beneath a fodder heap, were recovered. A tractor-trolley, reportedly used for transporting the timber, was also impounded from the spot.
The Forest department had seized a tempo, tractor-trolley and a motorcycle involved in the operation, informed senior Forest officers, adding that cases had been registered against the accused under the appropriate provisions of the Forest Act, and all three were produced before the court.
The DFO averred that similar drives would be carried out in future too to stop smuggling of forest resources and the offenders would be strictly dealt with.
