Guwahati, July 24, 2023: Forest officials stationed in Kheroni, West Karbi Anglong, Assam, successfully intercepted a significant quantity of timber during an operation on Sunday. The operation was carried out in the Arnamteplong area of Kherni after the department received a tip about the movement of a large consignment of valuable timber from West Karbi Anglong to Lanka in the Hojai district.

The timber smugglers attempted to transport the valuable consignment via the Kapili River, but the authorities were swift in their response and managed to seize the shipment. The market value of the seized timber is estimated to be over Rs 1 lakh.

This incident follows the forest department’s ongoing efforts to curb illegal logging and protect the state’s forest cover. In a recent operation in the Kheroni forest area of West Karbi Anglong, forest officials encountered a gang engaged in the illicit felling of trees on Monday night.

During their pursuit of the gang, the forest officials had to chase down a vehicle used by the culprits. Though they were able to apprehend the vehicle, the driver and helper escaped into the forest. The market value of the timber found in the seized vehicle is valued at around Rs 70,000 to 80,000. The confiscated timber was loaded onto a Tata pickup truck bearing registration number AS 02 BC 8473.

In a separate incident in the same region, unknown miscreants managed to escape with a vehicle used by the forest department for their operations, raising concerns about the challenges faced in combating illegal activities in the area.