DODA: A total of 150 sleepers of deodar trees were seized from a house in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, police said.

The beams of wood were said to be worth lakhs of rupees, the police said.

A police team was on patrol duty in at Bathri in Tanta area of Gandoh when it received a tip-off about one Shah Mohd illegally axing green standing deodar trees in Tanta forest and hoarding them near his house for selling purpose, they said.

Upon receiving the information, the police team rushed to the spot, searched the area and found 150 deodar sleepers which the accused had kept near his house, the police said.

The sleepers were seized and a case under was registered relevant sections at Gandoh Police Station, they said.

Efforts are underway to nab the accused who is absconding, they added.

The Doda police have launched a special drive against smugglers of timber, drugs, and cattle. They have appealed to the public to provide information if any smuggling activity is noticed in their neighbourhood so that culprits are booked.