Teak wood worth Rs 12 lakh seized

From our Correspondent

BONGAIGAON, April 20: Teakwood worth around Rs 12 lakh was seized by Bongaigaon forest department in Singimari area of NH-31 near Bijni.

A forest officer said that they had information about transportation of illegal timber. “So we were patrolling in NH and based on suspicion we sigled a truck (W-23-CC-7284) to stop for checking. But the truck driver did not obey the sigl and sped the truck towards Barpeta Road. We followed it and at Siyalmari we were filly able to seize the truck along with teakwood worth around Rs 12 lakh. The driver of the truck, Giyasuddin Ahmed was also arrested. According to him, two persons med Shahjahan Ali and Vagin were in the truck but they maged to escape before the truck was caught.  Ahmed confessed that the illegal teakwood had been brought from Jharbari area of Chirang district,” he said.

The truck had false number plate and its origil registration number is AS-01-FC1852 and it is owned by Abu Taher Ali of Sarbhog in Barpeta district.

Interestingly, if the illegal wood had been brought from Jharbari then the truck had already crossed three forest check gates at Karigaon, Sundari and Kukurmari area. “How was it possible for the truck to cross three forest check gates without being checked?” local people have questioned.