The timber mafia allegedly snatched a seized timber-laden vehicle from Forest Department personnel and damaged an official vehicle in Odisha’s Balasore district on Saturday night, highlighting growing concerns over organised timber smuggling and attacks on frontline forest staff.

The incident took place in the Similiguda area under Peethahata panchayat, where the Nilgiri Forest Division had moved to seize a vehicle loaded with timber. According to forest officials, a written complaint was scheduled to be lodged at Berhampur police station at the time of reporting on Sunday.

Vehicle Seizure Operation

Manuwar Khan, Forest Ranger, Balasore, said the Forest Department acted on specific information received about a timber-laden vehicle.

“We received a tip that a vehicle loaded with timber had overturned, following which I instructed our staff to rush to the spot and informed them that I would reach shortly from Balasore,” Khan said.

“However, upon reaching the location, our staff found that the vehicle had not overturned and was standing loaded with timber. The people associated with the vehicle fled on seeing the forest personnel,” he added.

Attack On Forest Staff

The situation escalated when forest personnel attempted to bring the vehicle under seizure. According to the ranger, a group of timber mafia members gathered at the spot and confronted the staff.

“When our staff tried to seize the vehicle and timber, the timber mafia surrounded them as a group. They shouted at the staff and, when the forest personnel attempted to record the incident on video, they attacked a forest guard’s hand,” Khan said.

He further stated that the attackers also damaged the rear glass of the Forest Department’s vehicle during the confrontation.

Planned Modus Operandi Alleged

Forest officials suspect the timber mafia is operating in a planned and organised manner. As per reports, the group allegedly mobilises a large number of people to the spot whenever their vehicles are seized, attacks forest officials, and forcibly takes away seized vehicles and timber.

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The Forest Department indicated that legal action would be initiated once the complaint is formally registered with the police.