Digboi Forest Division on Monday rescued an elephant that was used by timber smugglers for carrying logs in Lekhapani Forest Range on the Assam-Arunachal border.
The elephant was rescued from Tirap Reserve Forest along the inter-state border.
Sources said the elephant was used by the timber smugglers from Arunachal Pradesh to carry logs that felled illegally in Assam’s forests.
“We have rescued one elephant from the Assam-Arunachal border and arrested the Mahout. The elephant was used for carrying logs from Assam’s forest area. We are interrogating the Mahout and he will be produced before the court. An investigation is underway to arrest the other accomplices,” Digboi Forest Division, DFO TC Ranjit Ram told Northeast Now.
“We have received information about the timber smuggling in Tirap RF under Lekhapani Range. Our team conducted a raid and rescued the elephant from the area. The elephant is in our custody,” he said.
Environmental NGO Green Bud Society thanked the Assam forest department for rescuing the elephant and launching an operation against the illegal timber operation in Assam’s forest.
“We thanked Digboi Forest Division for taking steps against timber smuggling in the forest. The elephant was illegally used for carrying timbers,” said Devojit Moran of Green Bud Society.