HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, Sept 19: A timber smuggler was seriously injured after forest guards opened fired on a group of such smugglers at Bashabnala under Hokunguri range of the Dehing-Patkai National Park that is located in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts.
According to sources, a group of timber smugglers, who were reportedly armed, entered the Dehing-Patkai National Park to chop tress with saw machines in broad daylight.
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“The forest official got the information about the presence of the timber smugglers, who had come over from Arunachal Pradesh to chop tress. A team of forest guards went in search of them and soon located them. Soon a firing incident took place between the smugglers and forest team. During the firing one timber smuggler got seriously injured,” said a source.
Division forest officer (DFO, BV Sandeep confirmed the firing incident.
“We have come to know that one timber smuggler was seriously injured during the firing. A team of timber smugglers had come from Arunachal Pradesh to illegally chop trees in the Dehing-Patkai National Park. The incident occurred at Bashabnala, which is a few kilometers away from Arunachal Pradesh boarder. Wood is smuggled out of the park to be used in plywood factories that have been set in the neighbouring state,” said BV Sandeep.
“We have recovered one rifle and one mobile phone from the site of the firing incident. Our forest team has been regularly patrolling the area to prevent such activities,” he said.
“We cannot confirm about the death of the smuggler because his companions took him along with them. He was seriously injured,” he further said.
Sources said due to the mushrooming of saw mills in Arunachal Pradesh timber smugglers with machines entered Dehing-Patkai to chop valuable trees.
“Most of the time, timber smugglers use elephants to transport the logs from the forest. Basabnalla falls along the Assam-Arunachal inter-state border where most of crimes take place,” said a source.
