Himachal: Two people arrested for carrying banned forest produce

Himachal Pradesh: Dehra Gopipur police seized a truck loaded with timber being smuggled to Punjab last night. The timber being carried in the truck falls under the category of prohibited forest produce, which cannot be exported, cut or transported without a permit issued by the forest department. Dehra Gopipur DSP Anil Kumar said that the police had received information that some smugglers were active in the area and were taking a truck loaded with the expensive timber to Punjab.

The DSP said that two persons, Malkiyat Singh, resident of Mukerian and Main Singh, a resident of Punjab, have been arrested. A police team led by Sansarpur Terrace police outpost in-charge Sanjay Sharma was tasked to nab the culprits. The DSP said that the police team intercepted a Leyland vehicle loaded with timber and no documents were found during the investigation. Later, the forest department also confirmed that the timber was being transported illegally. A case has been registered under Sections 41 and 42 of the Indian Forest Act and the police have also seized the truck and the wood. The DSP said further investigation is underway.