The Forest Department has arrested three persons on the charge of felling sandalwood trees from a forest near Pollachi and attempting to smuggle them out. The arrested have been identified as L. Annamalai, N. Ganesh, and S. Ashok, all hailing from Kallakurichi district.
The trio landed in the custody of the Forest Department staff, who patrolled Kadukaimarathittu area falling under the Kottur section of Pollachi forest range of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve on Monday.
During the patrol, the staff led by Pollachi forest range officer K. Gnanabalamurugan spotted three persons wandering inside the forest around 5 p.m. The unidentified persons were carrying some objects wrapped with pieces of blanket. Upon seeing the staff, the trio abandoned the objects and attempted to escape. The staff managed to chase them and apprehend them. The staff examined the objects abandoned by the men and found that they were three pieces of sandalwood, wrapped in blanket pieces.
The three men were taken to the forest range office at Pollachi, where they were questioned in detail. A case was registered against them for felling sandalwood trees. They were arrested and produced before a court at Pollachi. The magistrate remanded them in judicial custody.
Published - October 30, 2024 07:07 pm IST