RAUTAHAT: A ranger was killed in a crossfire with timber smugglers at a forest in Balerikhor of Rautahat district last night.

The deceased is Ramlal Shah. He died on the spot.

Having been tipped off that a large quantity of timber was being smuggled on seven bullock carts, a team of Armed Police Force personnel from Samanpur and three rangers had pursued the smugglers. However, it came under attack at Balerikhor — on the border with Sarlahi district — at around 2 am.

The team had also retaliated but failed to save Shah. Later, the smugglers managed to flee the scene unscathed.

“Shah was on the front line while following the smugglers. He was fired with a country-made pistol,” Ram Deyal Shah, another ranger said.

According to Debendra Lal Karna, assistant forester, District Forest Office Rautahat, the security personnel and the rangers had fired five rounds of bullet in the incident. Ranger Chhatu Mahato, who witnessed the incident, said the smugglers had targeted Shah in the poor visibility of the night on the banks of the Bagmati River. They had fired seven rounds.

Meanwhile, Nepal Rangers’ Organisation Rautahat staged a chakkajam by placing Shah’s body on the East-West Highway today, demanding compensation and employment to a member of the bereaved family.

All employees of the forest office and the Federation of Community Forest Users Nepal have expressed solidarity to the protest.