A Forester in Cuttack district was severely injured in an attack by timber smugglers on Saturday and is now under treatment at a city hospital.
Bharat Chandra Routray, who is the Forester at the Baideyswar Forest Beat House, was attacked by the timber mafias in Kalapathar forest in Banki when he along with another staff had gone to trace an illegal saw mill running near the area.Routray, after getting a call apparently from the smugglers about the saw mill, rushed to the spot with watchman Sadananda Khatua. But on arrival, he could not find any such mill.By then, he had been trapped by the mafias, who beat him mercilessly leaving his head and both legs and hands fractured.Khatua, who managed to flee from the spot, informed the police, who rescued the official.
Hospital sources said the official would undergo surgery soon.Though a case has been registered. Further investgation is underway. However, the police is yet to arrest the culprits