Four persons, who are part of a network smuggling sandalwood to Karnataka were arrested by the Forest Department from Gudalur in the early hours of Saturday.
The gang was held by a special patrol team of the department while attempting to axe an Indian sandalwood tree ( Santalaum album ) on the road to Accord Hospital, Gudalur, around 2.30 a.m. The tree was situated on a poramboke land.
The arrested have been identified as K. Lingaraj (25) and K.S. Ajees (43) from Kodagu in Karnataka, and K. Sainul (38) and A. Ozeer (39) from Gudalur. The department had formed special teams for night patrol after two sandalwood trees were cut and stolen from patta lands in Gudalur recently.
Rahul V.C., District Forest Officer, Gudalur Forest Division, said that the department was keeping a close watch on sandalwood trees situated on patta and poramboke lands in Gudalur after recent instance of sandalwood smuggling.
“We have identified sandalwood trees situated outside the forest in Gudalur. The trees are under the surveillance of the special patrol teams involving local people. The four men were caught in the act by one of the teams,” said Mr. Rahul.
According to Mr. Rahul, the accused had been smuggling sandalwood to Mysuru through unnoticed channels. The department has also got information about local people, who are suspected to be helping the sandalwood smugglers.
Recently, a sandalwood tree from Pushpagiri and another one from a place near Aavin unit were felled and trafficked by smugglers. The four persons were produced before Pandalur magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.
