Forest officers from the Dabgram Range recovered illicit timber worth lakhs of rupees in a raid on Jalpai More in Siliguri on Monday. One individual, Bishwanath Barman of the Matigara region, was detained in connection with the crime.
According to sources, the forest department got information that timber was being trafficked into Bihar from Siliguri on a four-wheeler. Following the tip, officers stopped a suspicious car near Jalpai More. After examining it, they discovered a considerable amount of illicit lumber. The driver was detained after failing to provide sufficient documents for the shipment.
A man on a scooter was riding beside the four-wheeler but managed to leave the scene. The scooter was eventually seized. The forest department has initiated an exhaustive inquiry, and a search is underway to locate the missing individual.
