Gunfire Incident in Assam's Behali Wildlife Sanctuary Raises Concerns
Incident Overview
Biswanath, Dec 18: On December 16, an alarming event unfolded within the Behali Wildlife Sanctuary, where four individuals reportedly opened fire on Assam forest officials.
As per preliminary reports from the Assam Forest Department, these individuals were caught engaging in illegal logging activities when the forest team arrived on the scene.
Authorities stated that the group was instructed to vacate the premises, after which they allegedly discharged their firearms before escaping. Two chainsaws were subsequently found abandoned at the location.
Champak Deka, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) for the East Sonitpur Forest Division, confirmed that the four suspects had unlawfully entered the Behali forest area, which is under Assam's jurisdiction, and were involved in activities detrimental to the forest.
However, Deka refuted claims of a gunfight between the police and the suspects. "When the forest team arrived, the individuals fled, leaving behind two chainsaws. A case has been filed against them at Behali Police Station," an official familiar with the situation stated.
In a related development, an FIR has been filed at Seijosa Police Station in Arunachal Pradesh against an Assam forest officer, highlighting conflicting narratives from both parties.
A police officer from Arunachal Pradesh mentioned that they received a call regarding the incident but could not locate anyone at the scene due to poor visibility.
"Upon resuming the search the following morning, we discovered empty cartridges at the site. We have also received reports alleging that the individuals faced mental harassment from Assam forest officials," the officer added.
A local resident from Arunachal Pradesh reported hearing multiple gunshots around 11:30 AM, causing widespread panic in the vicinity.
"The sound of gunfire frightened the community. If any misconduct occurred, the local authorities should have been notified. The manner in which these four individuals were allegedly targeted, with claims of an entire magazine being emptied, is both inhumane and unacceptable," the resident asserted.
Officials from both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have indicated that investigations are ongoing, and further updates are anticipated as the situation evolves.