Talwara: Forest department confiscated 70 illegally cut khair logs

Jalandhar: A major case of khair wood smuggling has come to light in the Kandi area of ​​Talwara. Late Wednesday night, the Forest Department seized a pickup truck loaded with approximately 70 khair logs illegally cut from the government reserve forest in Vankaranpur village. The department has imposed a fine of ₹4.27 lakh on two of the accused. Further investigation is underway. According to Range Officer Daljit Kumar and Forest Officer Sukhdev Raj, forest guards Ashwini Kumar (in-charge, Vajrapattu Beat) and Ashwini Kumar (in-charge, Shri Pandyan Beat) were on routine patrol from Sandpur 1 towards the Vankaranpur Reserve Forest. During the patrol, they noticed a four-wheeler approaching them. When the guards tried to stop the vehicle, the driver tried to flee. Displaying courage and presence of mind, the forest guards deliberately drove their two-wheeler in front of the pickup truck, causing it to stop. Upon inspection, the vehicle was found loaded with approximately 70 khair logs, estimated to be worth approximately ₹4 lakh (approximately ₹400,000) and believed to be headed for a nearby factory. The driver was identified as Ravi Kumar of Varingli, while the other accused was identified as Yadvinder Minhas of Palahad. Reliable sources indicate that the actual number of khair trees felled could be higher, which is still under investigation. Local residents allege that despite a complete ban during the fire season, illegal khair felling continues unabated, raising serious questions about forest safety in the Kandi region.