The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of Nurpur Police District successfully foiled a timber smuggling attempt in a pre-dawn operation on Thursday. Acting on a credible tip-off, police intercepted seven transport vehicles—including six pickup jeeps and one truck—on the Bhadukhar–Riyali Road under Fatehpur police station limits around 4 a.m.
Vehicles and Seized Timber
The vehicles were loaded with timber logs of valuable tree species, reportedly headed to Punjab from various locations under Jawali, Rehan, and Fatehpur police stations. The logs are suspected to have been smuggled from the interstate border area after being illegally felled from forests in the Nurpur Police District.
Legal Action and Investigation
SP Nurpur Kulbhushan Verma stated that a case has been registered under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 41 and 42 of the Indian Forest Act at Fatehpur police station. He added that preliminary investigations revealed two vehicles originated from Patta-Jattian in Jawali, three from Ring-Takwal in Fatehpur, and one from Sakri under Rehan police station.
The SP clarified that timber logs can only be transported during daylight hours with valid legal documents. However, none of the drivers possessed such documents. Police, in collaboration with the Forest Department, are investigating to trace the source of the seized timber and ascertain ownership of the forest produce.
Forest Mafia Activity
Ironically, the forest mafia remains active in this interstate border area despite the presence of local Forest Department personnel. Timber worth lakhs of rupees is allegedly smuggled out of the state during the night, with the department failing to curb this illegal activity due to negligence of concerned officials. The district police have seized the entire consignment, handed it over to the Forest Department, and impounded all vehicles involved. All impounded vehicles bear Himachal Pradesh registration numbers.
Exposed Loopholes
The seizure of such a large cache of forest produce has exposed loopholes in the field-level strategy of the State Forest Department, emboldening the forest mafia to continue illegal felling and smuggling. Local environmentalists have demanded a high-level probe into such cases and called for strengthened surveillance at interstate border check-posts.
