Days after the death of a range forest officer (RFO) while in pursuit of a suspected wood smuggler, forest officials said they seized logs, which could have been smuggled from reserved forests in Gujarat, in Maharashtra’s Nandurbar.
The raid came after the second arrest was made in connection with the khair wood smuggling racket: that of one Philip Vasava from Songadh in Tapi district.
Tapi forest officer Sachin Gupta told The Indian Express: “After interrogating Philip Vasava, our teams raided one Sandeep Valvi’s house in Dokariya village in Navapur taluka of Nandurbar district in Maharashtra and found him missing. We seized khair and teak wood logs, equipment used in cutting trees, and a car.”
On July 20, Tapi RFO Vikas Desai, 32, was killed in a car crash involving multiple vehicles near the Songadh checkpost while chasing a suspected khair wood smuggler. The vehicle pile-up also killed one Rehan Gamit, 23, in the suspect’s vehicle. The police arrested the driver, Hitesh Vasava.
Catechu was allegedly being smuggled from a forest in Tapi to Navapur in Maharashtra. Khair wood is used to make catechu (kattha), which is in high demand and used in traditional medicine.
Logs worth around Rs 1 lakh were said to have been seized from the accident site that day.
An FIR was lodged at Uchhal police station against Hitesh Vasava under BNS sections 281 (rash or negligent driving on any public way that endangers human life or risks injury to others), 125(a) (rash or negligent act that endangers human life or personal safety), 125 (b) (rash or negligent act that endangers human life or safety), and 106(1) (rash or negligent act that causes death, but does not amount to culpable homicide), and relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles act.
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Tapi forest department officials also registered an offence against unknown people for cutting khair wood from reserve forest land.
Hitesh Vasava was produced before the Songadh Chief Judicial Magistrate Court and sent on a four-day custody remand of the forest department.
Forest department sources said: ”Hitesh said Philip Vasava hired him to drive the car that was used for stealing and smuggling khair wood. Thus, Philip was arrested, and a car and bike allegedly used in the crime were seized.”
Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More
