Sopore, Dec 07: A team of forest department seized 200 feet wooden timber being ferried in a load carrier in north Kashmir’s Sopore during intervening night of Friday.
Forest officials said, a team of forest officials headed by Technical Officer Conservator of Forests North Circle Sopore, Hakim Mukhtar, acting on a specific input seized one load carrier bearing registration number JK05B-3725 where in 200 feet wooden timber illicitly felled by unknown smugglers was being loaded, was seized by the officials and arrested driver Shabir Ahmad Rah S/o Ghulam Mohammad Rah R/o Rambagh Srinagar and conductor whose identity was not known immediately.
They said that vehicle was seized on Srinagar National Highway during intervening night of Friday after having specific inputs about the vehicle that according to officials was loaded at Jammu and Kashmir Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (JKHPMC) Fruit Mandi Sopore to Srinagar.
During searches, officials found some metal sheets and 200 feet timber which costs two lac in the market were seized and arrested both driver and conductor and seized the vehicle and case has been registered and department have initiate further action in the case, officials added.
Meanwhile, locals hailed the efforts of Hakim Mukhtar, recently posted at conservator office Sopore, who has started massive operations against timber smugglers.
