Criminals chopped off thousands of tea bushes and stole tea leaves at a tea estate in Cooch Behar district on Tuesday, resulting in a loss of around Rs 17 lakh.

In recent years, such attacks on tea estates damaging the plantation area have not been reported from north Bengal.

Representatives of the Calcutta-based tea company, which owns the estate, have filed a police complaint but no arrests have been made so far.

Gyan Prakash Dixit, the general manager of Mainak Hill tea estate in Changrabandha of Cooch Behar — a non-traditional tea area in north Bengal — alleged that goons led by one Dijen Roy entered the plantations on Tuesday and cut down around 10,000 tea bushes.

“They cut down around 10,000 tea bushes and fled with around 200 kilos of tea leaves. We have suffered a loss of Rs 17 lakh. We want the police to take stern steps,” he said.

The tea estate is located over an area of 750 acres and provides jobs to 800 people.

Dixit, when asked what prompted the attack, said a section of local people, along with goons, often indulge in illegal activities in the garden.

“They also made attempts to encroach on parts of our land. Some non-workers indulge in illegal activities which affect regular garden operations. It is disappointing that the police are not taking stringent steps against them,” he added.

The planters’ associations have expressed concern as such acts lead to huge losses for tea companies.

“The new season has just commenced and production is yet to start in full swing. The industry is already beleaguered with problems like low yield in this heat and pest attacks. Now if goons carry out such destruction in the plantations, it would only add to the problems. The police and administration should realise that tea is a major industry in north Bengal and take steps to prevent such incidents in the future,” said Amitangshu Chakraborty, principal adviser to the Indian Tea Planters’ Association.

Police officers said they acted on the complaint. “We visited the garden to gather information. The person named in the complaint has fled. We are searching for him,” said an officer.