Latest News | U'khand: Three Smugglers Held with 200 Pieces of Kajal Wood

Uttarkashi, Jan 4 (PTI) A forest department team in Uttarakhand on Thursday arrested three suspected smugglers with 200 pieces of kajal wood, a forest resource banned from harvesting for commercial purposes, in their possession.

Also Read | RPF Recruitment 2024: Notification Released For 2,250 Constable and SI Posts; Know Age Limit, Educational Qualification and Other Details.

Uttarkashi Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) DP Baluni here said that 200 pieces of Kajal wood were recovered from a vehicle during a check at Gangori Barrier on Gangotri Highway under Uttarkashi Forest Division at 5 am.

The international market value of the recovered wood has been estimated to be around Rs 20 to 25 lakh.

Also Read | GATE 2024 Admit Card for Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering Examination Likely To Be Released Today at gate2024.iisc.ac.in, Know How To Download.

Baluni said that a case has been registered under the Forest Act against the three men – Rishilal and Sohanlal, residents of Gumaniwala, Rishikesh, and Ujjan Singh, a resident of Nepal.

SDO Kanhaiya Lal, who was leading the checking team, said the accused were carrying Kajal wood, considered a valuable forest resource, from the forests of Saura and Sari of Bhatwadi block.

Kajal wood is in great demand especially among the followers of Buddhism who consider it auspicious to use the wood in the making of bowls.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)