Guwahati May 31: In a tragic incident in Assam’s Goalpara, eight individuals have been apprehended on Wednesday in connection with the death of a forest department inspector. The incident stemmed from a confrontation over timber smuggling, which also resulted in the killing of a forest department official and severe injuries to three others on Tuesday.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Bhadreswar Rabha, Mohen Rabha, Dulal Rabha, Suraj Rabha, Prahlad Rabha, Ananda Rabha, Prafulla Rabha, and Rajni Rabha. They are currently being held at Dudhnoi Police Station in Goalpara.
The altercation took place at Krishnai Salpara Darapara in Goalpara when the forest department initiated an operation based on intelligence about illegal timber smuggling at the Boro Matia Reserved Forest. A group of suspected timber smugglers launched an attack on the team using sharp weapons.
According to sources, additional locals were involved in the assault, which occurred on Monday night after the team seized a tractor and a cache of lumber intended for discreet smuggling. During the incident, the smugglers looted the officials’ team, confiscating their mobile phones and two gold rings.
The deceased forest department officer has been identified as Rajbir Ahmed, while the three injured officers are Mobinur Rahman, Najrul Islam, and Mustafa Ali. They were swiftly taken to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for urgent medical treatment and are currently undergoing treatment there.
Rajbir Ahmed was initially brought to Solace Hospital in Goalpara but was later transferred to Excel Care Hospital in Guwahati for specialized treatment, where he was pronounced dead.
Expressing grief over the incident, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) remarked, “A very tragic incident has occurred. I hope the police conduct a thorough investigation. Our employees were attacked with sharp weapons, including machetes and bamboo sticks. From what I’ve heard, a crowd had gathered around the forest officials. The driver and one of our officers, Mobinur Rahman, were targeted. No arrests have been made thus far in connection with the case. Nevertheless, the efforts made to save the lives of our staff members were commendable. They acted promptly, and for that, I would like to express my gratitude to the police.”
