Rayagada, August 22: Acting on the directions of the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Rayagada, a team of forest officials led by Anil Kumar Panigrahi, Range Officer, Rayagada, conducted raids at several houses in Dokuluguda village under the Komtalpeta Section on Saturday in connection with the illegal storage of timber.During the operation, forest officials raided the houses of K. Srinivas, Gauri Shankar Chikati and Vivek Rao Kalagara. The raids resulted in the seizure of 67 sal timber pieces from Srinivas’s house, 66 sal timber pieces and planks from Chikati’s house, and 56 pieces of sal, piyasal and teak timber from Kalagara’s house.According to the Forest Department, the three individuals failed to produce any valid departmental documents or other authorisation for possessing the timber. They allegedly admitted to having illegally felled trees in the nearby reserved forest and transported the timber to their respective houses.Following the seizure, Forest Guard Anant Hem Charan Behera, Komtalpeta, arrested the three accused in connection with the alleged forest offence. The seized timber has been taken into departmental custody.The Forest Department estimated the market value of the seized timber at around ₹3 lakh.Forest officials Gouri Shankar Sahu of Rayagada Section and Padmabati Padhi, along with other staff of the Rayagada Forest Range, participated in the raid.The Forest Department said further legal action would be taken against those involved in the alleged illegal felling and possession of forest timber.
Illegal Timber Seized in Raigada; Three Arrested
