Smugglers, forest guards exchange fire

RAUTAHAT: Forest guards and timber smugglers exchanged fire at Ramlal Ghat of Balerikhor forest in Rautahat on Saturday night.

A team of armed forest guards from District Forest Office Chandranigahapur entered the forest after they received information about the armed smugglers’ invasion into the forest.

The guards had to open fire in self-defense after the smugglers opened fire at them, the office informed.

The guards had to fire 25 rounds of fire to chase away the smugglers. They seized two carts from the site after the smugglers ran away, said District Forest Officer Shree Bhagawan Gupta.

“As there were blood spots in some places, some of the smugglers might have been injured in the attack,” he said.

Security has been beefed up around the forest area following the incident.