A Palamu tiger reserve team under the Bareysanr range led by forest guard Paramjeet Tiwary seized 40 slippers and 30 door frames at Durup village early morning today.
Deputy director south division of PTR Kumar Ashish said "The illegal timbers were of Sakhuwa, Biya and Gamhar trees."
Officials have readied the offence report to be sent to the court of the chief judicial magistrate Latehar within 24 hours of the seizures.
Ashish said "Our PTR team had a tough time in seizing the illegal timbers. The team faced a very hostile mob. But it finally seized the illegal timber."
Forest guard Paramjeet Tiwary said "The house from where 40 slippers and 30 door frames were seized belonged to Sarful Ansari. Ansari is a contractor in Mahuadanr. He is said to have his fingers in the MGNREG schemes."
"We were mobbed by the villagers of Durup. Women in the mob were shouting more. The mob was very angry with our action" recalled Tiwary.
"It was tactful handling, otherwise anything bad could have happened," he reiterated.
The house owner Sarful Ansari from whose house the illegal timber were seized managed to escape his arrest today.
The seized timbers have been kept at the Durup forest ancillary office.
Durup falls under the Bareysanr range of the tiger reserve Palamu but it comes under the Netarhat police station.
