Sleuths of the Red Sanders Anti Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) had a close shave past midnight on Monday, when they were allegedly attacked with knives, rods and stones by woodcutters in Devudigudi area near Srivarimettu on the outskirts of Tirupati.
While combing the Eethagunta and Vippamanukaluva areas, the task force team led by Reserve Inspector Bhaskar sighted a group of 60 woodcutters reportedly carrying huge red sanders logs and climbing down a hillock. When warned to give up, the woodcutters allegedly lunged at the sleuths and hurled knives and rods at them.
After a constable Harikrishna sustained injury when a stone hit his hand, the cops fired two rounds in the air. When they emerged again with a spate of whistles, the perpetrators understood them to be police and ran away. The cops seized 32 logs in the early hours of Tuesday and brought them to the task force police station in the city.
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