Timber smugglers turned violent and launched an all out attack on the raiding forest guards in North Tripura district on Sunday which left as many as eight forest guards injured.
Forest land of Bushingpara of Laljuri in North Tripura district had always been infamour for illegal tree felling and smuggling of timber that reduced the forest cover in these areas to a great extent. The timber smuggler racket happened to be well organized and they yielded money and muscle power.
However, after Dr K S Shetty took over the PCCF he ordered stern action and round the clock watch against the timber smugglers.
Accordingly a team of forest guards led by Sujit Das carried out a raid in the forest area of Bushingpara while the timber smugglers were felling trees. Acting on a specific information they swooped down on the area all off a sudden with a vehicle and a motorcycle. At that time the those who were felling the trees managed to hide themselves in the deep forest. But when the the forest guards were returning they were waylaid by the smugglers. They found the road was blocked with a tree.
When the forest guards stopped the smugglers ganged upon them with lethal weapons. They also damaged the vehicle and the motorcycle..
In the attack eight forest guards – Forester Sujit Das (38), Mintu Bhowmik (40), Ujiham Reang (53), Shiban Shil (45), Sushanta Chakma (28), Nandi Charan Tripura (32), Sabya Sahi Sen (40) and Alok Paul (55) sustained severe injuries. They all were taken to hospital.
After receiving information on the incident, SDFO Suman Mallya visited the injured forest guards in the hospital.
In the meantime, a massive search and hunt for the smugglers were launched. Till filing the report no arrest was reported.
