Patnagarh police have arrested notorious wood‑mafia Saraju Meher along with four associates and seized a truck loaded with khair wood allegedly bound for Raipur.
The arrested accused have been identified as Saraju Meher of Kukurmunda village, Ramesh Meher of Yogimunda, Prakash Putel of Marua, and Chintamani Bhati and Jagabandhu Bhati of Luhakhen under Deogaon police limits.
Police said the gang had been operating for years, smuggling valuable khair wood from local forests to neighbouring states with alleged collusion from certain forest officials. The arrests have now raised serious questions about the Forest Department’s role and possible internal complicity.
Acting on a tip‑off, police intercepted a pickup truck near Sarmuhan Square and recovered a large quantity of khair wood being transported illegally. The vehicle and timber were seized, and all five accused were produced before court.
Locals claim the gang had been carrying out illegal operations for years without interference, fuelling suspicion of a nexus between smugglers and officials. Police sources said further investigation is underway to trace the network and identify those who facilitated the trade.
