DFO attacked by smugglers

Dhenkanal: Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Prakash Chand Gogineni was attacked by stone mafia while he was on patrolling duty on Saturday night at Kurumtangore village under Sadar police station.

Gogineni said he intercepted a truck carrying granite stone illegally from Kurumtangore village at 10 pm. When he asked for documents, a group of 8 to 10 goons reached the spot and attacked him with stone. The DFO then rang up other forest officials. The goons fled the spot as other forest officials came to the rescue of the DFO. Gogineni then seized the truck.

An injured DFO was admitted in District Headquarters Hospital and discharged after treatment. He then lodged a complaint with Sadar Police following which police registered a case and detained six persons in this connection.

Talking to this paper, DFO Gogineni said there will be no let-up in night patrolling to check the illegal activities of the stone mafia.

Recently, an IAS probationer was assaulted by some miscreants near Indipur when he conducted a raid. A few days ago, forest officials were attacked by stone mafia near Kapilash while they were raiding an illegal quarrying site. Illegal quarrying is being reported from Nihalprasad, Indipur and Kurumtangore in the district. The stone mafia are having a free run in the absence of enforcement team comprising police and forest officials.