Pilibhit: Two forest inspectors were brutally assaulted by a gang of timber smugglers, including the kingpin and 20 associates, after their attempt to run their tractor-trolley over the officers failed in Sherpur village under Puranpur Kotwali police station of Pilibhit district.The incident occurred around 8 pm on Sunday after forest inspectors Surjeet Kumar and Ashish Kumar received a tip-off about a shipment of illegally felled sheesham wood heading toward a local depot owned by one Aslam Khan.An FIR was registered on Monday following a written complaint by Surjeet Kumar, posted in Puranpur range.“When we spotted the vehicle approaching from the Sherpur side, we signaled the driver to pull over. Instead of stopping, the driver accelerated and attempted to mow us down. We narrowly escaped and immediately gave chase,” Kumar stated in his complaint.The inspectors pursued the vehicle into Aslam Khan’s timber depot. Upon entering the premises, they were cornered and physically assaulted. As chaos prevailed, the illegal timber was hastily unloaded and the suspects fled with the tractor.Puranpur Kotwali SHO Pawan Pandey stated that an FIR has been registered against Aslam Khan, Munawar Khan and the unidentified tractor driver, along with several unnamed associates.The accused have been booked under appropriate BNS sections, including 109(1) (attempt to murder), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace)Additionally, charges have been framed under Sections 4 and 10 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. Police have launched a manhunt to arrest the absconding accused.