Illegally cut timber seized in Mandi, vehicle driver arrested

In a successful operation by the Forest Department, a vehicle carrying illegally sourced timber was intercepted last night, at a checkpoint set up at Kanda in Seraj area of Mandi district.

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According to DFO Nachan SS Kashyap, the team, led by Suresh Kumar (Block officer), Sunil Kumar and Raj Kumar (Forest Guard) and other officials stopped a vehicle (HP-33B-1557) travelling from Bagsyad to Kelodhar around 12:50 am. When signalled to stop, the driver attempted to flee but was apprehended after a brief chase.

"Upon inspection, the driver failed to show any legal documents for the timber. It was found that the logs carried in the vehicle did not bear the required Hamber mark. Among the seized logs were 30 sleepers made of Deodar wood, which are valued at approximately Rs 1,80,166," the DFO said.

"The driver, identified as Gulshan Kumar from Surah village under Thunag tehsil of Mandi district, has been arrested. The vehicle and the seized timber have been handed over to forest officials for further investigation and safe custody," he remarked.

"The case has been filed under IPC 379 (Theft) and IFA 41, 42 (Forest Act) and authorities are investigating further to uncover the source of the illegal timber," he said.