Foresters raid hamlets, seize teak and illicit liquor in Nizamabad

HYDERABAD: Despite an attack on them while protecting the wildlife during the lockdown, forest officials, led by a lady beat officer, helped seize nearly five tractor loads of smuggled teak logs and five litres of illicit liquor from villagers of Kammarpally range of Armoor division in Nizamabad district. Though the assault on the foresters happened last week, no arrests have been made in the case so far.
Forest beat officer (FBO) of Karepally village in Kammarpally range, K Manjulatha, braved the circumstances despite being assaulted by villagers when she confronted them about the illgal activities. This is the fourth incident of assault on FBOs in Telangana in the last one week.
On Saturday, Manjulatha was patrolling the area when she received information that teak logs were dumped in Bhukya Naik Thanda and Hanuman Thanda of Karepally.
On suspicion of a bigger smuggling racket being run by the villagers, a search operation was conducted by a joint team, comprising 40 members each from the forest department, police personnel and 20 from the excise department.
“The search operation conducted in the village by the officials after the teak wood seizure revealed that the villagers were also brewing illegal liquor,” Dr Sunil S Hiremath, district forest officer, Nizamabad, said.
An FIR was registered at Bheemgal police station against 10 offenders.