Acting on specific intelligence inputs regarding illegal felling and theft of willow trees inside a protected wetland area, a joint team of Wildlife staff and the Forest Protection Force (FPF), Baramulla, conducted a swift operation in the early hours of Sunday.
Officials said the team rushed to Ballakul Shah area of Lolipora Beat, Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve (WCR) at around 1:30 a.m. Upon noticing the enforcement team, the accused fled the spot to evade arrest, abandoning two vehicles—a Maruti 800 (Registration No. JK05B-0294) and a Tata Mobile (Registration No. JK05A-7233)—which were found loaded with illicitly felled willow logs.
The enforcement team seized both vehicles along with the recovered willow timber at the site of the offence. Authorities confirmed that the accused involved in the illegal activity have been identified by the staff, and legal proceedings under the Wildlife Protection Act have been initiated.
