Mob vandalize forest office in Kokrajhar, eight arrested

In a bizarre incident, a group of villagers vandalized the Ultapani forest ranmge office in Kokrajhar district of Assam. Hundreds of villagers from No. 2 Ultapani village, along the Indo-Bhutan border,  attacked the forest office on Monday noon damaging office properties and vehicles.

According to forest officials, the villagers attacked the range office after the forest department staff detained two forest mafias on Sunday night while cutting ‘Sal’ trees inside the forest under Ultapani range.

Though the duo were allowed to go on Monday morning, later in the afternoon a mob gathered at the range office and started vandalizing office properties. At least four vehicles and office furnitures were totally damaged in the attack. The forest staff including the range officer Hemanta Mushahary had to run for their life from a certain attack on them too.

Local police soon arrived at the spot and took control of the situation. Later, the police arrested eight persons involved in the vandalism.  An First Information Report (FIR) has also been lodged with the police in connection with the incident.