Task Force arrests 7 smugglers, recovers 54 red sanders logs

Tirupati: In a major operation that lasted for almost a day, Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RASTF) arrested seven smugglers and recovered 54 red sanders logs from two forest areas under Balapalli reserve forest on Chittoor-Kadapa border.

In the joint operation of task force and forest department intense combing was launched on Saturday evening from Kukkaladoddi forest area to flush out smugglers from the forests which ultimately saw the arrest of seven smugglers and recovery of 54 red sanders logs from the forests.

The joint team of task force and forest department kept a watch at water point, Nemmuru Chengaiah Madugu, in the deep forest leading to the finding of the smugglers who were coming with red sander logs.

The lurking personnel of task force and forest surrounded the smugglers and ordered them to surrender. But the smugglers did not heed the warning and ran back into the forest leaving behind the logs they were carrying to take them outside the forest for smuggling to other state. In the subsequent hot chase, two smugglers were nabbed while others managed to escape.

Following the escape of smugglers, searching was intensified with additional forces arrived resulting in the arrest of five more in the deep forest. In all, 54 logs were recovered while search is still on to track down few more smugglers in the forest.

Task force in-charge Ravisankar who along with DSP Allabaksh visited the forest area said that a disturbing trend of involvement of locals in the smuggling activity came to light following the arrest of locals.

The locals who were weaned away by the sustained efforts of task force distancing themselves from smuggling are again are involved in the smuggling of red sanders. "We will make renewed efforts to see the locals do not involve in smuggling in their own interests and future of their families,'' he said..