In yet another incident, Forest Department personnel came under attack from desperate timber smugglers on two successive days in different places while they were acting against the timber smugglers.
A timber loaded Bolero vehicle rammed the vehicle of Forest department in North Tripura district on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. In the incident the Forest Department vehicle driver and other personnel had a narrow escape and they received minor injuries.
The incident occurred around Chamtila area under Panisagar while the Forest Department staff led by the SDFO were trying to stop the timber loaded vehicle. Later, Police recovered the Bolero vehicle and timber.
On the following night (late Sunday night), one forest guard was injured after being attacked by timber smugglers while the team was returning from a raid on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. The incident occurred at 41-Mile area under Teliamura subdivision.
Acting on a tip-off, Teliamura forest staff conducted a raid at 47-Mile area in Mungiakami under Teliamura subdivision where they spotted some smugglers loading timbers on a Maruti van. As the forest staff chased them, the driver and his assistant managed to escape along with the timber-loaded vehicle.
When the vehicle reached the 43-Mile area, the forest guards detained it. But when they along with the vehicle were returning to Office in Teliamura, suddenly they came under attack of suspected timber smugglers near the 41-Mile area.
Raju Deb of Teliamura forest range was injured following stone-pelting by the timber smugglers. According to information, the market value of seized car loaded with illegal timber is worth Rs. 3 lakh.