TV
In a scene straight out of a Hindi action film, the officials of the Tangi Wildlife Range seized 36 pieces of sized Sal timbers from a pickup van after a chase near Hatabaradi under the Tangi police limits in Khordha district on Thursday.
As per sources, the officials of Tangi Wildlife Range were patrolling in the Hatabaradi area on Thursday morning when a pickup van, ostensibly loaded with ice boxes, appeared at the scene. It was coming from the Hatabaradi side. Seeing the patrolling van, the occupants of the pickup van might have sensed danger and the driver accelerated the speed, attempting to escape.
The officers in the patrolling van got suspicious and chased the pickup van.
At a point, the driver and his associate abandoned the vehicle and fled away from the spot.
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Upon reaching the abandoned vehicle, the officers carried out a thorough search. The investigation revealed the Sal timbers were concealed under ice boxes.
The officials seized the timbers as well as the vehicle. They have launched a detailed probe and manhunt to nab the persons involved in the timber smuggling.
The authorities have urged the public to report any suspicious activities in the forest areas to help curb the menace of illegal timber smuggling.
