Assam: Smugglers Open Fire At Forest Officials In Dehing Patkai National Park

Guwahati: In yet another incident, a firing took place between forest officials and timber smugglers when they were cutting down trees in Dehing Patkai National Park located in the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam on Tuesday.

Reportedly, the incident of firing took place at a time when smugglers were caught red-handed while cutting down the trees.

However, the timber smugglers managed to escape from the spot as it was dark.

Following this, the forest department has launched a search operation which is underaway to find the culprits.

The officials have seized the tools including a chain saw which was left by the gang.

Last year, the Assam government had designated Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary as the state's seventh national park. The Assam Valley's "last remaining stretches" of tropical wet evergreen forests have been designated as the state's seventh national park.

As of the present, Assam has five national parks: Kaziranga, Orang, Manas, Nameri, and Dibru-Saikhowa.

The 234.26-square-kilometer Dehing Patkai, which straddles eastern Assam's Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts, is a prominent elephant habitat, with 310 kinds of butterflies documented there.

The park is home to 47 reptile and mammal species, including the tiger and clouded leopard.

Also read: Assam: SI Junmoni Rabha Named In FIR; Rana Pogag Moved To Majuli For Interrogation

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