Hatsingmari: In a major breakthrough, South Salmara police seized Sal wood worth Rs 5 lakh from the Hajipara area of South Salmara. The search operation team was led by Atul Rai Pradhani, the official in charge of the South Salamara police station. The team also arrested three people in connection with the smuggling of illegal timber. Interrogation is on.
Police across districts of Assam are continuing their crackdown on illegal timber traders. Despite the shortage of manpower and vehicles, the West Karbi Anglong Forest department has intensified its drive against timber smugglers in the region. A large number of smuggled timbers were seized by a patrol team of Kheroni Forest Range from the Assam-Meghalaya border village in between Umkhirmi and Mulaber villages earlier this month. The patrol team seized a truck loaded with smuggled logs.
The forest officials said that the department is facing a huge shortage of manpower as well as vehicles. The patrolling is being done by using hired vehicles and personal bikes of the department employees and officials. Speaking to the media, the officials said that they fear the involvement of locals in the smuggling racket because they have been barely successful in arresting any of the smugglers.
Last month forest officials of Kheroni had apprehended a truck packed with smuggled timber. The truck was headed from West Karbi Anglong to Meghalaya. The truck was seized in West Karbi Anglong. The driver and the handyman, however, managed to flee.