Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, May 15: Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department launched a major operation against illegal timber smuggling in Kathua on Friday, intensifying its drive to curb forest crimes in the district.
Officials said acting on specific inputs the Forest Department seized a truck allegedly transporting illegally extracted wood to Punjab.
According to officials, the vehicle bearing Registration Number JK02CG-8757 was intercepted during a special day-long enforcement drive conducted by the vigilance team of the APCP Lakhanpur Range under the supervision of Range Officer, Sanjeev Singh. The operation was carried out under the overall directions of Ankit Sinha.
During inspection, the truck was found loaded with a substantial quantity of illegally felled forest wood, reportedly being smuggled out of Jammu and Kashmir towards Punjab. After seizure of the vehicle further legal proceedings under relevant forest laws have been initiated, officials said.
Officials said the Department has stepped up surveillance across vulnerable forest belts and key transit routes to prevent illegal extraction and transportation of timber, including valuable forest produce such as Khair wood and fuel wood. They noted that smuggling networks are frequently changing routes and methods, but intensified monitoring and coordinated field operations are helping foil such attempts.
The Department also revealed details of a serious incident that occurred on May 13, when suspected timber smugglers allegedly attempted to run over members of the forest protection team while fleeing from a checking point. During the incident, a Forest Guard from the Kathua Division sustained serious injuries and was shifted to Government Medical College Kathua for treatment, where he is currently undergoing medical care. Officials reiterated that the Department remains committed to protecting forest resources and will continue strict enforcement against those involved in illegal felling and smuggling. They added that action has been taken out in recent days as part of an intensified anti-smuggling campaign across the district.
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