Panchkula: Panchkula police have arrested a fifth suspect in connection with the illegal felling of khair trees in the govt forest area of Surajpur in Pinjore.The latest accused, identified as Hanni, a resident of Patiala district currently living in Model Town, Pinjore, was arrested on Oct 12 following ongoing investigations into the timber theft.The case was registered at Pinjore Police Station on Sept 8 after Kalka forest department officials reported that suspects were cutting down trees and loading timber into a pickup truck. While two individuals fled the scene during an interception attempt, officials seized 18 khair logs from the vehicle and found seven felled trees in the forest.Four co-accused—Sanjeev Kumar alias Sanju, Vishal alias Chinu, Krishan Kumar, and Rinku Kumar—were arrested earlier in the case, and police recovered two iron saws used in the crime.Police commissioner Pankaj Nain said, “Strict legal action will be taken against those who cause harm to natural resources. It is the responsibility of us all to protect our forests and the environment. No individual involved in such crimes will be spared.”
