A suspected timber smuggler was killed during an exchange of fire with forest guards inside Raimona National Park in Assam’s Kokrajhar district on Tuesday, officials said.
According to Kokrajhar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Mustafa Ali Ahmed, a forest patrol team spotted four to five people allegedly cutting large trees in the Athiabari range of the national park at around 4 p.m. When the guards approached the group, the suspects allegedly opened fire, prompting the forest personnel to retaliate. The group fled the scene, and a body was later recovered from the area.
Police identified the deceased as Phungkha Basumatary, a man in his early 20s and a resident of a nearby village in Kokrajhar. His body was recovered on Wednesday morning and sent to Kokrajhar Medical College for a post-mortem examination.
Following news of the incident, a group of villagers allegedly vandalised a forest office and a government vehicle in protest. However, police said they were not immediately aware of any vandalism and are verifying the reports.
Forest officials claimed that Basumatary was a repeat offender wanted in multiple cases related to illegal timber smuggling and was also allegedly involved in wildlife poaching using firearms. They said the remaining members of the group managed to escape.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the gunfight and the death. The forest department said it will file an official complaint with the police as the investigation continues.
The incident occurred in an area where forest officials regularly conduct patrols to prevent illegal logging and wildlife-related crimes within the protected reserve.
