More than 200 families in Stung Treng province filed a petition yesterday calling for their local police chief’s dismissal, accusing him of working against their interests and committing environmental crimes.

The petition to remove Thy Sun Y from his position as chief of Srekor commune police, which was filed to Sesan district officials on behalf of 210 families, follows allegations in March that he was selling protected wood in the area, which Sun Y denied at the time.

“Sun Y is a police official, but he does not act favourably to the people. He does not serve people in Srekor commune; he serves the company,” said 58-year-old Phar Vy.

Another Srekor commune resident, Prom Vin, 57, accused Sun Y of allowing his friends to illegally fish in the area and use assault rifles to poach the local wildlife.

The villagers also claimed that Sun Y had tried to force them into accepting compensation from the company behind the controversial Lower Sesan II dam.

Sun Y yesterday denied the allegations, which he said were a reaction to his crackdown on illegal logging.

“They cleared the state land illegally and now they are angry with me and often file complaints against me,” he said.

Phumar Solie, a Sesan district police officer, said officials accepted the petition yesterday and were investigating the claims.