Tirupati: 31 red sanders logs worth 1 cr seized, 1 held

Tirupati: In a major operation, police seized Rs 1 crore worth of 31 red sanders logs, two motorcycles and two cars at Yerravaripalem area of the Bhakarapet circle in the west subdivision in Tirupati district on Saturday.Acting on a tip-off, Bhakrapeta CI Tulasi Ram, SIs Prakash, Venkateswarlu and other staff stepped up vigil at Ellamanda cross to Usthikayala penta road and also Yerravaripalem area since last night leading to seizing of huge quantity of red sandal logs.

The police took up vehicle inspection during which they could nab a smuggler belonging to the international smugglers gang into custody while five others escaped. Speaking on the occasion, Tirupati SP P Parameswar Reddy said that the police are dealing with smugglers stringently to prevent smuggling of red sanders.

The arrested was identified as Shaikh Shafiullah (39) while five others managed to escape were identified as Gopinathpethi Naidu (38), D Anandan (60), Gajendran (36), Anumuthu (30) and Krishna Dev. These smugglers were involved in many incidents of red sanders smuggling from Seshachalm forest and several cases were registered on them at different police stations. Additional SPs Venkata Rao, Kulasekhar, Vimala Kumari, DSP Narasappa and others were present.