Rudrapur, Sept. 28 -- Forest officials in the Peepal Parao range under Terai Central forest division in Kumaon region have alleged an attempt by timber smugglers to undermine surveillance efforts by wantonly chopping down trees and carving a provocative message on a stump that threatened up to fifty tree fellings in the future. PC Joshi, ranger, Peepal Parao range, said, "Our department has intensified patrolling and vigil, resulting in a halt in timber smuggling. Our strictness has been irritating them and in irritation, they are chopping green trees to face trouble or challenge us." "Timber smugglers' purpose is only to cause loss to the department," Joshi added. Timber smugglers entered with two wood cutters in beat number 40 of Peepal Parao range on Wednesday night and chopped down 14 green teak trees near Gularbhojof US Nagar, forest officials said. Their purpose was not to carry away or smuggle the wood but just to challenge the forest department, officials added. When forest staff reached the spot, they fled after firing in the air, officials said. After the smugglers fled, they noticed the message carved on the tree stump, they said. "Our watcher informed us about the entry and felling of trees. We rushed to the spot and timber smugglers fled firing with illegal weapons to scare us," said Joshi. "I have handed over a complaint to the police against the teak smugglers in Gularbhoj police outpost. I have mentioned three named and 17 unnamed in the complaint. These timber smugglers are habitual offenders," said the ranger. "They open fire now and then to scare our patrol parties," he added. Notably, four forest personnel including a ranger were injured in firing by timber smugglers on September 6 last year. On May 23, around two dozen smugglers opened fire on forest staff and when the staff fired in retaliation, they fled leaving behind two motorcycles and 70 logs of wood....