Tura, May 14: Term it strange or shocking, but a vehicle caught with suspected illegal timber disappeared on the same night it was seized in Zikzak area under South West Garo Hills district.

Members of two Garo organizations, A.chik Holistic Awakening Movement (AHAM) Zikzak Regional Unit and Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC) Zikzak unit, had caught a mahindra Bolero pik up truck with timber moving on the night of May 13th.

The vehicle had removed its number plates and its cargo consisted of a large number of teak timber logs.

The vehicle with the timber was seized and handed over to the Forester of Betasing Forest Beat Office for necessary action the same night.

But on Sunday morning they were alerted by villagers that the vehicle was no longer in the forest beat office.

The organizations members went to the Betasing Forest Beat Office and found to their dismay that the vehicle had indeed disappeared.

Accusing the forester of being involved with the timber smugglers and releasing the vehicle, the two organizations have petitioned the Range Forest Officer of

Mahendraganj demand8ng stern legal action against the accused Forester for negligence of duty and being complacent to the crime of illegal felling and smuggling of precious forest product for monetary gains.

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