Forester pays with life for taking on mafia

SAMBALPUR: Forester of Sohela range in Bargarh district Aswini Mohanty was killed on Sunday at Khalabahal on Bijepur-Sohela road when timber mafia ran a mini-truck over him. Mohanty was trying to intercept the vehicle, carrying illegal timber, police said.
Range officer (Sohela) Rajkumar Chalan, who had gone to the spot with the forester on a motorcycle, sustained injuries.Forest officials said the vehicle was used for smuggling timber on several occasions.
The deceased went to the front of the mini-truck, keeping the mobike along the road after the driver stopped the vehicle for a moment. But soon the driver accelerated the vehicle, killing him on the spot, police said. The range officer, who was standing on the roadside, fell down with the motorcycle when the miscreants' vehicle hit it.
Though police have registered a case, no one has been arrested. Police handed over the body to his family after conducting autopsy.
"We have taken the matter seriously. Our people have recognized the accused. We have also requested senior police officers of the district to take immediate steps to nab the culprits," divisional forest officer(Bargarh) A K Jena said.