Reported by Mrinal Banik
Agartala: As many as seven forest personnel were injured and two government vehicles were ransacked after timber smugglers retaliated against a forest department team during an operation against the illegal transportation of teak wood in Tripura’s North district, officials said on Wednesday.
The incident took place in the Chandipur area under the jurisdiction of Kanchanpur police station when a special team of the forest department launched a late-night operation following information about the alleged smuggling of government-owned teak wood, sources said.
According to forest department sources, the team reached the area to intercept and seize the timber when a group of suspected smugglers and their associates allegedly surrounded the officials and attacked them with sharp weapons, spears and sticks.
The assailants also allegedly vandalised two forest department vehicles during the incident, the sources said.
The injured personnel were identified as Shantanu Debnath, Swapan Saha, Banti Mursuddi, Ujiham Reang, and forest guards Mintu Bhowmik, Debashish Pal and Gopikanta Tripura.
On being informed, a police team led by Officer-in-Charge Srikanta Rudra Pal of Kanchanpur police station rushed to the area, rescued the injured personnel and shifted them to Kanchanpur Sub-Divisional Hospital for treatment.
Hospital sources said the condition of some of the injured personnel was critical.
Forest department sources alleged that the accused fled the area with two vehicle-loads of teak wood after the attack.
The forest department has lodged a written complaint with the police in connection with the incident.
Police have launched an investigation, and efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those involved in the attack.