Guwahati: A villager was killed and another injured when they were fired upon by forest guards in Sonaikuchi Hill Forest near Jagiroad in Morigaon district of Assam, police said on Wednesday.
According to the police, the shots were fired when the two were allegedly felling trees illegally inside the forest range on Tuesday night. Two local villagers went to cut trees with axes near the Kuthori forest camp inside the jungle.
The forest guards went to the site and fired several rounds after they heard the sounds of trees getting felled, the police added. As the news of firing spread, angry villagers set ablaze the Kuthori forest beat office.
They alleged that the forest guards allowed the two persons to cut the trees inside the Sonaikuchi Hill Forest after taking a bribe and later shot them. Security teams rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control after the arson.Â