Dibrugarh: A heavy exchange of fire took place between suspected timber smugglers and Assam forest personnel inside Dehing-Patkai National Park, an official said on Thursday.One of the suspected smugglers was critically injured in the gunfight, he said.The Assam forest personnel received information that a group of timber smugglers from neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh had entered the national park to cut trees with machines on Monday, and upon hearing the sound of electric wood cutters, a search operation was launched, the official said. The miscreants allegedly opened fire on the forest personnel and a gunfight ensued, leading to the injury of one person from Arunachal Pradesh at Bashabnala, he said.We have come to know that one timber smuggler was seriously injured during the firing. The incident occurred at Bashabnala, which is a few kilometers away from the Arunachal Pradesh border, Namrup divisional forest officer B V Sandeep said.However, the North East Human Rights Organisation in the neighbouring state has filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), claiming that the person was shot dead by members of the Assam Forest Battalion in Dibrugarh district. PTIWe also published the following articles recentlySmuggler injured in firingA timber smuggler was injured during a clash with forest guards in Dibrugarh district. The incident occurred in the Dehing Patkai National Park. Although the smugglers were able to escape with the wounded individual, the encounter highlights the ongoing issue of illegal timber trade. In other news, there have been recent arrests and convictions related to drug smuggling cases in various parts of India, while a sand smuggler has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a village administrative officer in Tuticorin.40 cattle rescued; smugglers fleePolice in Giridih, India seized a truck and rescued 40 cows being smuggled in the vehicle. The truck was chased by police but eventually abandoned by the smugglers near a hotel. The operation was launched after a tip-off about vehicles with cattle being rerouted. The animals will be moved to a cowshed and action will be taken against the smugglers and the vehicle owner.Leopard skin smuggler arrested in NainitalA man has been arrested in Nainital for possessing two leopard skins. The arrest was made by the Mukhani district police under the direction of the newly appointed senior SP Prahlad Narayan Meena. The accused, identified as Naveen Chandra, confessed to killing the leopards, drying their skins in secret, and bringing them to Haldwani. He was apprehended while trying to sell the skins after receiving medical treatment.

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