It has been reported that forest guards and timber smugglers exchanged fire at Dhansar Forest Area in Rautahat yesterday night. Timber smugglers had picketed the guards before fleeing away in the forest. The smugglers opened fire when the guards tried to chase them to prevent them from taking away three sal trees. They fled from the site after the additional force was deployed from District Forest Office Chandranigahapur, according to the forest office. “The smugglers picketed the forest guards who were acting on a tip-off in an attempt to stop them,” said Assistant Forest Officer Shubha Narayan Yadav. The smugglers opened ten rounds of fire while the guards opened 35 rounds in defence. Around 10 to 15 smugglers fled the scene leaving three carts, five oxen and timber,” he said.