Nilagiri: Timber smugglers allegedly attacked Forest department personnel, vandalised a patrolling vehicle and forcibly took away a timber-laden vehicle during a night patrol in the Nilagiri forest range of Balasore district Saturday night.
According to forest officials, the incident occurred around 10 pm after Nilagiri ranger Manwar Khan received specific intelligence about the illegal felling and transportation of valuable Piyasal timber.
Acting on his instructions, a team led by forester Buduram Hansda of the Sajanagar section intercepted a van loaded with timber near Similihuda under Pithahata panchayat. On spotting the forest personnel, the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled.
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Shortly afterwards, 15 to 20 suspected timber smugglers arrived at the spot, attacked the forest staff and damaged the department’s patrolling vehicle. Forester Hansda sustained injuries in the assault.
Before senior officials could reach the scene, the attackers allegedly overpowered the forest staff, took away the seized timber and fled. The intercepted vehicle was also taken away.
Following a joint search operation by the police and the Forest department, one person was detained for questioning for about 12 hours later.
Officials also seized an empty Tata Ace vehicle from the roadside near Tuluk Dang under the Kishorchandrapur panchayat.
Forest officials said the seized vehicle belongs to Prakash Mohapatra of the Chhatrapur area under Berhampur police station limits.
Further investigation is underway, and efforts are on to identify and arrest others involved in the attack, officials said.