According to a statement by Public Relations Officer of Headquarters Inspector General of Assam Rifles (South) (PRO IGAR-S), the entire seizure was immediately reported to the officials of district forest department in Chandel and handed over to the District Forest Officer (DFO), Imphal.
Making a strong note of suspicious movement of trucks at odd hours, the 39 Assam Rifles personnel acted promptly and halted the vehicles at Salluk town in Chandel district. The details of the same were shared with the DFO Chandel.
However, due to the shortage of manpower and resources, the forest officials could not transport the seized timber. The DFO Chandel then asked the Assam Rifles for its assistance in transporting and escorting the timber to Imphal.
Three of the four trucks were subsequently handed over to DFO Imphal. The counting and measuring of the size of logs are in progress.
The DFO Chandel lauded the swift action and cooperation of the Assam Rifles and lauded its efforts for catching an illegal consignment of timber in such a short span of time.
A large scale of illegal timber business has been a regular phenomenon in Manipur.
A team led by the state forest and environment Minister T. Shyamkumar Singh conducted a drive against the illegal timber business last month at Kamjong district and seized truckloads of logs over a crore rupees.
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