Assam: Forest rangers attacked by illegal timber smugglers in Chirang, two nabbed

A team of forest rangers in Assam's Chirang district suffered an ambush by a gang of illegal timber smugglers. The incident occurred in Runikhata village, Bengtol subdivision on the night of December 18.

The rangers were conducting an operation against timber smuggling in the region, under the jurisdiction of Ranjit Basumatary, the executive member for forests in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). The ambush took place near the India-Bhutan border on Monday night (December 18). The rangers' vehicle, carrying forest ranger Pranjal Talukdar, was attacked while reportedly chasing a vehicle transporting timber illegally from the Ripu reserve forest. 

The smugglers pelted stones, damaging the rangers' vehicle and shattering the windshield. Despite this, the rangers continued their pursuit, resulting in the capture of a gang member, Ramen Islary, and the seizure of a large quantity of illegally smuggled timber and a Tata mobile pickup truck. 

Following Islary's confession, the officials are now targeting notorious timber smuggler Jakhau Basumatary, who operates in the Aie Powali village in Chirang along the Indo-Bhutan border. 

Questions have been raised about how Jakhau Basumatary has managed to run such large-scale timber smuggling operations for so long, particularly in the constituency of the BTC executive member for forests, Ranjit Basumatary. Locals accuse him of destroying the reserve forests and smuggling timber out of Chirang to nearby regions.

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