Odisha villagers detain police team for 3 hours over illegal tree felling in Bolangir

Tension prevailed in Biramunda village under Tushura police limits in Odisha’s Bolangir district on Saturday after villagers allegedly detained a police team for nearly three hours over a Forest Department crackdown on alleged illegal tree felling.

According to reports, the Forest Department had received information that eucalyptus trees were being felled illegally from government land in Biramunda village and transported elsewhere.

Acting on the information, a Forest Department team conducted a raid in the village. During the operation, forest officials reportedly detained two persons and seized a truck allegedly being used to transport the felled timber.

The action triggered resentment among some villagers, following which tension escalated in the area. The Forest Department subsequently informed Tushura police about the situation and sought assistance.

A police team reached the village to assist the forest officials. However, the situation reportedly took an unexpected turn after villagers surrounded the police personnel and detained them for around three hours.

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The villagers allegedly expressed their displeasure over the action taken by the Forest Department and the detention of the two persons.

The incident created a tense atmosphere in the village, with the police and forest officials facing resistance from the local residents.

The exact circumstances that led to the villagers detaining the police personnel, as well as the subsequent developments, are yet to be ascertained. Further investigation is underway to determine the legality of the tree felling and the events surrounding the confrontation.