BY TC News Desk
Agartala, November 01: In a proactive move, the Dharmanagar Silchar Forest Department successfully confiscated 25 feet of teak wood during an early morning raid on a train departing from Dharmanagar to Silchar.
The operation was carried out by forest department officials in response to allegations of teak wood smuggling via rail, implicating the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police Force (GRPF).
Acting on undisclosed information, a team from the Dharmanagar Forest Department, led by Sub-Divisional Forest Officer Subrata Sen and Ranger Hemanta Debnath, commenced the search of the Dharmanagar-Silchar-bound train between 3:30 AM and 4:00 AM on Wednesday. Their efforts bore fruit as they discovered 25 feet of teak wood stashed in the final compartment of the train, with an estimated market value of approximately 35,000 taka.
However, the culprits behind the illegal transportation of the teak wood managed to evade capture by fleeing the scene during the search. This escape has raised questions regarding the diligence and responsibility of the RPF and GRPF, as they failed to prevent or apprehend those involved in the smuggling operation, even when it occurred right before their eyes.
The incident not only signifies a significant loss in revenue for the state government, amounting to lakhs of rupees but also highlights the ongoing challenge of deforestation in the northern districts due to wood smuggling activities. Forest authorities remain committed to combat these issues and preserve the region’s natural resources.
