Timber worth Rs 5 lakh seized in Kashmir, 3 held

Srinagar, May 22 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir police today claimed to have seized Deodar timber (green gold) worth Rs five lakh and arrested three smugglers in this connection.

According to the Superintendent of Police Handwara, police seized around 250 cft of Deodar timber worth Rs five lakh from Baderkali in Handwara area of Kupwara district.

The timber was being smuggled here on horse driven carts.

He said three notorious timber smugglers, identified as Ashraf Ganai, Fayaz Ahmed Bhat and Ahmed Wani were arrested in this regard.

The SP said the trio had been booked at least four times in similar cases previously.

A case has been registered against them at the Handwara police station, he said, adding the seizure and the arrests were part of continuous tirade of police against the menace of timber smuggling in the state, particularly Kashmir.

UNI