Two held for carrying banned forest produce

The Dehra Gopipur police last night seized a truck loaded with timber being smuggled to Punjab. The timber, which was being carried in the truck, falls in the category of banned forest produce that cannot be exported, axed or carried without the permits issued by the Forest Department.

Dehra Gopipur DSP Anil Kumar said the police had received information that some smugglers were active in the area and carrying truck load of expensive timber to Punjab. Two persons, identified as Malkiyat Singh and Main Singh of Mukerian in Punjab, had been arrested, the DSP added.

A police team, led by Sanjay Sharma (in-charge of Sansarpur Terrace police post), was assigned the job to nab the culprits. The DSP said the police team stopped a Leyland vehicle loaded with timber and during the inspection no documents were found. Later, the Forest Department also confirmed that the timber was being carried illegally.

A case under Section 41 and 42 of the Indian Forest Act had been registered and the police had also impounded the truck and timber. Further investigation was underway, the DSP said.