Timber mafia Mridul Bora arrested in a joint operation in Tinsukia

Dibrugarh, Dec 13: In a significant breakthrough, a joint operation by the forest department and police led to the arrest of a notorious timber mafia, Mridul Bora, on Thursday night. The operation was conducted in the Tarani Reserve Forest area at Pengree in Assam’s Tinsukia district.

During the operation, authorities seized a truck loaded with illegal timber, including Shimulu and Holong logs, as well as an excavator used in the illicit activity. Mridul Bora, long suspected of leading a timber smuggling syndicate in the region, is accused of supplying illegal timber to sawmills across the district.

“We received information regarding illegal timber smuggling after trees were felled in the reserve forest. Acting on the tip-off, we launched an operation, arrested the smuggler, and seized logs of valuable trees. An excavator used in the illegal activity was also confiscated,” said a forest official.

Sources revealed that the illegal timber trade has been thriving in Tinsukia and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, with Mridul Bora at the helm of the syndicate. He is alleged to have operated the network in an organized manner, leveraging connections to evade capture for years.

“Mridul Bora has been running the syndicate in an organized way, managing various stakeholders. Law enforcement agencies had previously attempted to arrest him but lacked sufficient evidence. This time, he was caught red-handed, and his involvement in the racket is indisputable,” said a source.

The illegal felling of valuable trees and timber smuggling have remained rampant in the forests of Upper Assam. Areas like Lakhipathar and the west range of Margherita’s reserve forest are reportedly hotspots for such activities. Once known for their rich vegetation, these forests have become prime targets for unscrupulous timber smugglers.

Authorities are now focusing on dismantling the broader network involved in the illegal trade and intensifying patrols to protect Assam’s forest reserves.

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