In an early morning operation on Thursday, Forest personnel from Aambadi Range intercepted a lorry at Phulbari on the Siliguri-Jalpaiguri National Highway, seizing teak wood worth lakhs of rupees. The Forest Department has detained the lorry driver in connection with the illegal transportation of the valuable wood.
Acting on received information, the Forest Department conducted the operation in Phulbari, where a lorry carrying chaff was stopped for inspection. Upon closer examination, teak wood concealed under straw sacks was discovered, with an estimated market value of approximately Rs 3 lakh. The Forest Department team then asked the lorry driver to produce the necessary documents for the wood, which he failed to do, leading to his detention by the forest officials.
During the inquiry, the driver claimed that the wood was en route from Siliguri to Bihar via Bidhannagar. The Forest Department has initiated further actions in response to the incident.