SRINAGAR: Police on Sunday seized more than 30 Cft illegal timber from a TATA mobile bearing registration number JK01V-7806 in Dardpora are of Lolab in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district after the locals of the area held protest against forest department and the smugglers. Reports said that the locals held the driver and the vehicle captive when he was ferrying illegal timber escorted by the concerned forest guard.
"An FIR has been registered in this regard in police station Lalpora and the investigation has been started" police said. Locals alleged that the illegal ferrying of timber been going on in the area since long and forest department is in deep slumber, even as the forest officials are hand in glow with the smugglers.
Locals said that the concerned Block Forest Officer is also involved in the act at the behest of local politicians. The residents of the area urged the governor Satya Pal Malik, administration and forest department to take strong action against the officials involved and the timber smugglers in the area, who are looting the green and lush forests.