(IN): Timber smugglers snatch rifle from Home Guard

July 7, 2009

*CORRESPONDENT

HOWRAGHAT, July 6 – Though government is laying stress on creating

enthusiasm among masses for forest conservation and planting trees, some

timber smugglers are doing brisk business openly destroying various valuable

timber of Karbi Anglong forests.

Poor administration of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and Forest

Department is encouraging the timber smugglers in continuing their timber

smuggling activities in the district. As an apparent example, the incident

of snatching service .303 No 1 Mark 3 rifle from a Home Guard by a group of

timber smugglers that occurred on Friday night at Patradisa which is just

about three kilometer from Bakaliaghat Police Station proves the inadequate

and poor administration of the KAAC and Forest Department.

As per official source, on the basis of information received, on Thursday

night at around 10.30 pm, forest officials along with two Home Guards of

Patradisa forest check gate went out to detain three rafts of timber being

carried through Jamuna river near Patradisa Forest Check-gate.

After catching one raft of timber the other officials rushed to detain

another timber raft asking one Home Guard to watch the detained raft of

timber.

At last, though the rafts of timbers were recovered from the hand of

smugglers, taking advantage of darkness, a group of timber smugglers coming

from back side of Sumeswar Bora, a Home Guard who was alone there to watch

the raft of timber, snatched the service rifle from him.

According to statement made by the Home Guard, though he tried to open fire

the smugglers started to beat him snatching the rifle from him.

To nab the gang of the timber smugglers the police is launching combing

operation in the aforesaid area.

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