GUWAHATI: Three people have been arrested following the tragic death of a Forest Department official in the Goalpara district of Assam on May 29.
The Dudhnoi Police arrested the suspects, identified as Ranjan Rabha, Kushal Rabha, and Jitul Rabha.
A team of Assam Forest Department, acting on an intelligence input, on May 29 launched an operation in the Krishnai Salpara Darapara area in Goalpara district.
The forest team was informed that a group of timber smugglers were engaged in illegal timber logging in the Boro Matia Reserve Forest of Goalpara district.
As the team of forest guards tried to zero in to the area of timber logging in the Boro Matia Reserve Forest, a group of suspected timber smugglers launched a massive violent attack with sharp weapons.
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The timber smugglers had launched the attack after the investigative forest team confiscated a tractor and a concealed stash of timber intended for discreet smuggling.
As the forest team was not prepared to handle the large group of armed timber smugglers, three of them sustained injuries in the scuffle. Local residents were also reportedly involved in the attack.
Three forest guards were rescued by Dudhnoi police in critical condition, and were rushed to the GNRC in Guwahati. While one of the officials, indentified as Rajbir Ahmed succumbed to his injuries on way to the hospital, two others are still underground treatment at the GNRC.
It has been reported that the three accused surrendered before the police on Tuesday night in Dudhnoi. All the three were subsequently arrested.
A total of nine individuals have been apprehended in connection with this case, with eight of them being remanded in police custody for a period of ten days.
