A midnight blitzkrieg by the Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) sleuths led to the arrest of four smugglers and recovery of 46 precious logs in Talakona forest of Chittoor district early on Friday.
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Acting on a tip-off, Superintendent of Police (RSASTF) Anjaneyulu deployed combing teams led by Reserve Sub-Inspectors Lingadhar and Vasu that launched an intensive search in the forest on Thursday evening. The sleuths observed a group of nearly 50 men carrying logs at Katukanuma forest area beyond Nerabailu village, who ran helter-skelter on sighting them. After a hot chase, the sleuths managed to nab four woodcutters, while the others fled under the cover of darkness.
The arrested persons were identified as Palanivel Venkatraman (32), Kumaran Settu (20), Babu Kalaiarasan (26) and Ramaswamy Annamalai (33), all hailing from Javvadumalai forest spread across Polur taluk of Tiruvannamalai district in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
Upon receiving information, Deputy Superintendent of Police M. Venkataiah and Forest Range Officer Prasad rushed to the spot and seized the logs. The Task Force Police Station registered a case.
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