Athagarh: Athagarh Forest Ranger Rabindra Kumar Nayak fell prey to the timber mafia when he along with other forest officials was returning to the workplace following the seizure of a timber-laden truck.
According to sources, the forest department had received a tip-off about illegal timber being transported and had rushed to the spot. The forest officials were returning to office when a group of miscreants waylaid the timber-laden truck. The miscreants assaulted its driver before fleeing. However, the forest ranger and his team followed them and seized the truck again.
Despite being outnumbered, the forest officials managed to overpower the mafia and seize the truck, containing illegal timber worth lakhs. Unfortunately, Range Officer Ravindra Kumar Nayak and five other forest officials sustained injuries in the attack.
The police have arrested a person, Prakash Chandra Das, a resident of Athagarh, in connection with the incident. The forest department has also seized the truck and the illegal timber.
Ranger Ravindra Kumar said, “When we were returning to the workplace after seizing the timber-laden truck, six miscreants chased us and assaulted our driver. They were running away with the truck when we chased them and overpowered them. In the process, six forest officials including me sustained severe injuries.”
