Amritsar: Five booked for illegally axing trees near canals

Amritsar, July 25

Following a complaint by the Department of Forest and Wild Life Preservation, the Amritsar (Rural) police have booked five members of a timber mafia gang who were allegedly involved in illegal chopping of trees from areas along canals.

Those booked were identified as Lakhwinder Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Ajmer Singh, Madhul and Avi, all residents of Khujala village in Tarsikka block here.

Gursewak Singh, Beas block in-charge of the Department of Forest and Wild Life Preservation, in his complaint lodged with the Jandiala Guru police alleged that beat in-charges of Raipur and Tarsikka areas informed him about illegal chopping of trees from forest strips near Gadli distributary, Raipur distributary and Malakpur minor canal. He said a court case was already pending against suspects.

Gurwinder Singh, Forest Range Officer, said one of the suspects Lakhwinder Singh was a former employee of the department. He along with others were allegedly hooked to drugs. They had been causing extensive damage to trees.

During investigations, it was found that the suspects had sold many trees at the Kartarpur wood market. Officials also found two trunks of Sagwan tree. The police said a case under Sections 303 (2) and 324 (3) of the BNS; Sections 32 and 33 of the Indian Forest Act; and Sections 51 and 52 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act was registered against the suspects. Efforts were on to nab the suspects, the police said.