Assam DGP visits Goalpara after forest official killed during clashes with illegal timber smugglers

A horrific incident took place on Monday night in Krishnai area under Goalpara district, where a forest staff was killed while three others seriously injured during a clash with illegal timber smugglers. Assam Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh visited Dudhnoi in Goalpara District and took stock of the situation.

Shibamoni Pegu, Ranger, Krishnai Forest Office said that she got information about smugglers cutting trees under the Boro Matia Proposed Reserve Forest under Krishnai Forest Office on Monday night around 8pm. "After getting Information I sent a forest team to that place, when they reached the place they found a tractor fully loaded with sal trees pieces. But they failed to start the tractor. Later they again contacted the Krishani Forest Office and we sent a second team to that place, but they took another road instead of the incident site road. 

Forest staffs of Krishnai Forest Range Office were Mabibur Rahman, Nazrul Islam, Mustafa Ali and Rajbir Ahmed injured during the timer mafia and smugglers attack. Rajbir Ahmed was referred to GMCH for better treatment but he lost his life on the way to Guwahati and three other forest staff were admitted in Goalpara hospital. 

People of the Goalpara area stage protest for their failures in giving security to their own forest staff in front of the Goalpara Divisional Forest Office. Protesters alleged that many times they were informed about the deforestation by the smugglers, but the department failed to stop them.

On Tuesday morning, Dudhnoi MLA Jadob Swargiary said that the forest department is in a very poor position to stop the deforestation of forests by the timber mafia and smugglers. "They couldn't even fire the timber mafia and smugglers even after they attacked the forest staff", said MLA Jadab Swargiary.

Later the forest team took help from Goalpara Police and seized the timber laden tractor and seized the weapons used to attack on forest staff. 

On Tuesday, DGP G P Sing said, "The reason why I came here today that the attacks on forest staff mean trying to disrupt the Assam government’s initiative to increase the forest land in Assam from 36% to 38% and we will never let it happen."  

"I already gave an order to the Officer in Charge of Dudhnoi Police Station and Superintendent of Goalpara Police to take necessary steps according to the law. It is a murder case since one man was murdered and three people were injured. The culprits who are related to this incident must be attested. We will take strict action against them. Till now two persons have been arrested and the people who are related to this incident will be arrested soon till tomorrow", said DGP G P Singh while addressing the media.

 

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