TURA: The illegal timber racket active in the Garo Hills region appears to be spreading its tentacles to more areas that are located along the inter-state border with Assam.
Groups of persons belonging to the Assam side of the border with the South West Garo Hills district are entering inside Garo Hills territory to fell trees from inside village reserves and smuggle them back to their native place.
Forest officials from Ampati region have registered a case with police about a recent smuggling of timber in which the smugglers attempted to attack forest guards who intercepted one such consignment.
Forest guards had, last week, reportedly caught a consignment of freshly felled timber that was being smuggled out late at night from the Latri area near Boldamgre towards Mankachar in Assam.
According to forest sources, the guards had intercepted the timber that was being taken on a bullock cart at the Junjuni junction which separates Assam with the Garo Hills region.
After confiscating the timber the guards were in the process of preparing for its transportation back to the forest beat office when a criminal from Assam who was armed with a dao tried to attack them for stopping the transportation.
After chasing away the guards the armed man with the help of others took away the timber laden bullock cart across the border into the neighbouring state.
The Boldamgre, Ampati and Betasing region have pockets of forest which are being targeted by the criminals from the neighbouring state who take advantage of the night to commit crime. The long porous inter-state border gives immense advantage to criminals to sneak in and commit crime.
Meanwhile, police in the district have registered a case and also beefed up night patrolling in the vulnerable areas to thwart the plans of criminals.