Bolangir: Forest officials in Bolangir seized a truck carrying illegally transported kendu wood worth several lakhs during a raid near Sinkhaman village on Tuesday, officials said.
Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Forest Department intercepted a truck that was allegedly transporting timber from Tikrapada towards Bargarh, with plans to move the consignment onward to West Bengal.
The operation was carried out under the direction of Divisional Forest Officer Ajit Bisoi, with Bolangir Ranger Navin Panda and Forester Byasadev Sahu leading the field action. Upon inspection, officials discovered black kendu wood concealed inside the vehicle, indicating an organised attempt to smuggle forest produce across state borders.
Five persons were detained during the raid. Four of them—Loknath Sabol (35), Suresh Bhoi (44), Sushil Seth (45), and Devendra Mahapatra (56)—are residents of the Bargarh region, while Manas Khamari (35) belongs to Satighat in Tikrapada.
Officials said the accused attempted to attack the forest team using a sharp weapon during the interception but were overpowered and taken into custody.
The seized vehicle and timber were transported to the Bolangir Range Office for further action. Preliminary estimates place the value of the recovered kendu wood between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 7 lakh.
Forest authorities have launched a detailed investigation to trace the interstate smuggling network, which is suspected to have links extending into West Bengal.
