Excelsior Correspondent
Bhaderwah, July 8: After reports of massive green felling by using banned portable chain saw (mechanical cutters) and large scale smuggling in Neeru Range of Bhaderwah Forest Division, sleuths of Forest Protection Force (FPF) seized 3 cutters and arrested a smuggler in late night operation at Halian Nallah in Puneja Block of Neeru Range.
According to DFO Bhaderwah Chander Shekhar who also holds the charge of Deputy Director Forest Protection Force Doda, said that they were receiving reports that some timber smugglers have hired half a dozen’ trained persons from Tanta village along with banned mechanical cutters to carry illegal felling reportedly in connivance with some officials of territorial forest department of Neeru Range.
“We came to know from sources that the smugglers have planned a night operation to carry massive felling and extraction of timber by using mechanical cutters. Accordingly in the wee hours, we managed to locate them but 4 of the 5 smugglers managed to give our team a slip while one of their accomplices was arrested and 3 portable chain saw mills were seized”, said DFO Bhaderwah Chander Shekhar.
In the operation, one Rehbar-e-Janglat (ReJ) official of FPF who was chasing the culprits got injured and is undergoing treatment at SDH Bhaderwah, DFO added.
A case under forest act has been registered and further investigation is going on.
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