Jehangir Lolabi
Srinagar, March 13 : Forest Protection Force (FPF) on Wednesday busted a hideout of smugglers and seized a huge quantity of illicit timber in Lolab forests of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
Assistant Director Forest Protection Force Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh told GNS that acting on a specific information, the sleuths of FPF raided compartment 68 of Warnow in South Lolab Range.
Following inputs regarding dump of illicit timber, the FPF reporting center Sogam South Lolab range have successfully managed to bust the hideout of smugglers in the area. During the raid, the FPF have seized a huge catch of illicit sawn timber 36 numbers of deodar sawn to the tune of 180 cfts approx, he said.
“The entire seizure stuff stands handed over to the concerned beat staff on proper sapurdnama in presence of witnesses, although the portion leading to forest area remaining cut off during the heavy snowfall but the prima fasci investigation establish the connivance of concerned forest staff,” the Assistant Director said.
The seizure contents are yet to be unknown so far, therefore the case is being submitted to the concerned police station for criminal action against the damage doers as well, he added.
Locals said that if such huge damage of green gold is in the forests, the question arises about the alertness of the department and alleged nexus of forest and smugglers. (GNS)
