more-in After the recent arrest of a poachers’ gang, the Forest flying squads have stepped up vigil against the felling and smuggling of wood and forest produce from the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary. Efforts are on to gather the details of local residents who allegedly collude with the smugglers. Cutting trees Forest Department officials said they had already registered cases against two persons from Vilangad who were accused of felling trees from the forest area under the Kuttiyadi range. The squad had also seized timber that the gang tried to cart away for commercial purposes, they added. Poaching cases The incidents came to the attention of the Forest squads during their recent investigation into suspected poaching cases. Nine persons who were involved in hunting a bison in the Peruvannamoozhi Forest range were arrested by the Forest squads. Forest Department officials said they had managed to get details of some of the suspected gangs and their areas of operation. Surveillance Kuttiyadi Range Officer K. Neethu, who recently booked two persons in connection with the wood smuggling case, said surveillance was stepped up along the forest line with the support of watchers and secret informers.

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