Hailakandi, May 9: Police have initiated a preliminary probe after a forest ranger accused Hailakandi MLA An-war Hussain Laskar of misbehaving and trying to intimidate him.

Mehdi Hasan, a forest ranger of Matijuri forest range, said the AIUDF MLA called him to the office chamber of the divisional forest officer (DFO), Dinendu Biswas, on May 4 and abused him verbally. According to the forest ranger, the MLA accused Ha-san of being involved in corruption and tree felling. When Hasan protested, Laskar allegedly abused him in front of the DFO. The MLA also reportedly threatened Hasan before leaving the office.

The forest ranger said Laskar was putting pressure on him to close down a couple of licensed sawmills.

Hasan filed a complaint with Hailakandi Sadar police station on May 6. The secretary of the department of environment and forests transferred Hasan to Lakhipur in Cachar district yesterday. An internal inquiry against Hasan is also likely.

The Hailakandi DFO was tight-lipped over the matter. Hasan said there are two licensed saw mills in the Matijuri area - Cachar Saw Mill and K.R. Medhi Saw Mill. "It takes time to shut down saw mills because it involves certain formalities," he said.

On May 8, Laskar met forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma in Guwahati and complained against Hasan. Brahma assured the MLA that she would look into the matter.

Hasan, however, said he was transferred as he had completed three years in Hailakandi district. He also said a delegation of the All Assam Forest Rangers' Association, of which Hasan is the president, met Brahma and apprised her of the situation.

Laskar alleged that there was a rampant felling and illegal sale of wood in the Matijuri forest and demanded action against Hasan. He said he only sought clarification from Hasan about the illegal activities in the forest and refused to comment on the alleged "verbal abuse".