BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 20th August 2025: Forest department officials intercepted a vehicle loaded with illegally sawn teak wood early Wednesday morning near the Tarakpur Border Road, under Kadamtala police station jurisdiction, close to a BSF BOP camp. The operation was launched following a tip-off about timber smuggling activity in the region.
According to sources, forest personnel began trailing a suspicious Bolero pickup truck bearing registration number TR05F1661 late Tuesday night near Panisagar’s Panitilla Eco Park. Upon sensing the presence of officials, the driver accelerated in an attempt to flee. The vehicle was later abandoned approximately 50 meters from the BSF camp, with the driver escaping with the keys.
Officials recovered approximately 80 feet of teak wood of various sizes from the vehicle, with an estimated market value of ₹1 lakh. Despite the successful seizure, no arrests have been made so far. Authorities believe the smugglers fled the scene before they could be apprehended.
Kadamtala Police Station staff and the personnel from 97th Battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF) arrived at the scene shortly after the seizure. The operation was led by Dharmanagar Sub-Divisional Forest Officer Rakesh Das, along with Forest Rangers and beat officers Abhijit Das (Lalsora Beat), Ashutosh Malakar (Churaibari Beat), and staff from the Juri Forest Unit.
The Dharmanagar Forest Division has been monitoring timber smuggling activities in the region for several weeks. Officials suspect the incident is part of a larger smuggling network operating along the border.
