THATTA, Feb 21: Thatta forest officials with collaboration of Ghora Bari police got vacated 80 acres of forest land from the possession of a former deputy commissioner Ali Akbar Mugheri, a Hesco official Liaquat Arain and a local influential man Baboo Bhutto during a joint raid conducted in Khanani forest in the coastal taluka of Ghora Bari on Thursday.

As soon as the joint team led by the conservator of forests, Lekhraj Kela, and DFO, afforestation, Riaz Ahmed Waggan, reached the site with heavy police contingent, about a dozen armed men deputed by the land encroachers under supervision of Ali Asghar Mugheri, the son of the former DC, Thatta, escaped without resistance.

The team took over the possession of land followed by the registration of an FIR against the accused.

Earlier through an official letter dated Feb 19, forest authorities had complained to district Nazim, DCO and DPO of Thatta that the former DC, the Hesco officer and the local influential person abusing their positions had encroached the newly prepared land for coconut and oil farm plantation in compartment 33 and 34 of the forest.—BoC