TURA, Jan 27: A late-night vigil by village defence parties to check the rising cases of cattle lifting being perpetrated by criminal gangs in the plains of West Garo Hills has led to the discovery of a timber smuggling racket and the seizure of three lorries laden with several number of matured logs stolen from forests in the region.
The chance encounter took place during the dark hours of January 26 morning, when village vigilance teams from Batabari and Balachanda, two Garo villages connecting to Phulbari and Rajabala, were chasing a mini pick-up truck that reportedly was fleeing with stolen cattle from a nearby village.
While the cattle lifters got away with their stolen goods, the villagers managed to intercept three other vehicles that were passing through with illegal timber through the Batabari PWD road and the MREGS roads in the area.
Dozens of timber logs were found piled up on to the back of the three vehicles, two Mahindra mini pick-up trucks and a large truck bearing an East Garo Hills registration number plate (ML07B2471).
The three occupants of the vehicles with the illegal consignment were identified to be from a minority-dominated village of Phersakandi.
The accused, along with the vehicles and timber, was handed over to forest officials from Phulbari range and Balachanda forest gate by the villagers the same morning.
Questions have been raised as to how smugglers are able to transport illegal consignments through the main roads of the plains and into neighbouring Assam despite the presence of several checkpoints all along the route.
