KASUR, June 19: Villagers and officials of a sensitive agency thrashed timber mafia on Tuesday when they were illegally cutting trees adjacent to Rajbah Ram Thamman and Sirhali Khurd under the supervision of some forest officials.

According to details, timber mafia from villages of the border area near Mustafabad had been involved in timber theft for the last few years with the alleged connivance of some forest officials.

On Monday night, when about 12 people headed by contractor Yousaf Kharal were cutting trees in the presence of forest officials, including SDO Irshad and forest guard Phool Muhammad, the officers of a sensitive agency along with villagers reached there and thrashed the timber mafia.

The contractor and the forest officials slipped from the scene.

According to villagers, Yousaf Kharal who is already involved in dozens of timber theft cases and backed by some influential and police officials rushed to the police station and got registered a case against the villagers who had been preventing him from cutting trees for the past few days, with a view to hide his own crime.

LOOTED: Six armed men deprived a farmer of cash, gold ornaments, cell phones and valuables in Gauhar Hithar village in the limits of the Ganda Singhwala police station on Tuesday.