After missing the bus, smugglers take the train

Police seize red sanders logs being loaded into train at Nandalur

Kadapa DFO Nagaraju inspecting the red sander logs seized at Mantapampalli in Kadapa district on Wednesday. Photo: By Arrangement

Close on the heels of police busting a racket involving transport of red sander logs in APSRTC buses, smugglers seem to have begun transporting the contraband by trains.

Railway police personnel on Wednesday seized red sander logs packed in gunny bags while they were being loaded into a train at the Nandalur railway station. One person was arrested, while the logs were handed over to forest officials. A case was also registered.

130 logs seized

A team led by Kadapa Flying Squad Range Officer Shaik Mohd. Hayath seized 130 red sanders logs worth nearly Rs. 1 crore as well as the truck that was used to carry them at Mantapampalli in Chintarajupalle forest beat in Vontimitta range in the early hours of Wednesday, Kadapa DFO Nagaraju said. More than 40 workers fled the scene on seeing the Flying Squad officials. Investigation revealed that the contraband was being illegally transported by one Jangala Sivasankar of Chintarajupalle, who had been detained under the Preventive Detention Act before being released recently, the DFO said.

Another seizure

Forest officials arrested eight workers from Tamil Nadu and seized a truck which was carrying 40 red sander logs, weighing one-and-a-quarter tonnes and hidden under bags of paddy husk, after a hot chase in Khajipet mandal.

The arrested include Kuppan, Venkataraman, Arunamalai, Krishna, Perumal, Ramamurthy, Bhaskaran and Govindarajan, Proddatur Forest Range Officer G.V. Ramana Reddy said. The team was led by Proddatur Deputy Range Officer C.L. Narasaiah, forest beat officers Hasan Basha and Khaja Valli.