According to officials, a group of coal smugglers entered the Paturiyadand forest late at night and began illegal excavation. After loading the mined coal onto a truck, they attempted to flee the area. Villagers noticed the activity and immediately alerted the forest department.
Acting on the tip-off, forest personnel, along with villagers, moved towards the forest to intercept the smugglers. On spotting them, the suspects tried to escape with the truck. The forest team and villagers chased the vehicle and informed the Morga outpost police. Police personnel joined the pursuit and, after a prolonged chase, managed to stop and seize the truck.
Driver and helper questioned
The seized truck was found carrying a large quantity of coal. The driver and a helper were present in the vehicle and are currently being questioned. Morga outpost in-charge Mangturam said that a patrolling team rushed to the spot after receiving late-night information and intercepted the vehicle, which was later handed over to the forest department for further action.
Forest ranger confirms operation
Kendai Ranger Abhishek Dubey of the Katghora forest division confirmed the incident. He said the truck was seized during action taken on specific information from Paturiyadand. Questioning of the driver and helper is ongoing. Preliminary findings suggest that other individuals were also involved in the illegal mining but managed to escape after villagers raised the alarm.
Villagers demand strict action
Initial inputs indicate that the detained smugglers are residents of the Ambikapur region and may have been involved in similar activities earlier. The incident has triggered anger among villagers, who have demanded strict action against all those involved and tighter measures to curb illegal activities in forest areas. Residents reiterated that they would strongly oppose any unlawful acts in the forest, including illegal mining and tree felling.
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