The Kadapa police have seized a huge haul of red sanders near Potladurthi village in Yerraguntla mandal and arrested five persons involved in its smuggling.
A team from the Yerraguntla police station intercepted a mini lorry on the Proddatur – Yerraguntla road early on Wednesday and arrested three persons riding in it. Two more persons who were escorting the vehicle, one driving a tractor and another riding a two-wheeler were also arrested, said the police.
The police seized 44 red sander logs from the mini truck and apprehended Dudekula Basha (42), Pinjari Mohammed Rafi (20), Sai (25) and Arvolla Rafi (19), who were in the truck. Similarly, they seized another 40 logs from the tractor.
Basha confessed to having hidden another 74 logs at his residence to sell them for a profitable price. The police seized the remaining logs from his hideout, along with the three vehicles used by the operatives. The collective value of the seized articles is said to be ₹1.91 crore.
Superintendent of Police Siddharth Kaushal appreciated Jammalamadugu Sub Divisional Police Officer T.D. Yaswanth, Yerraguntla Urban Circle Inspector R. Eswaraiah and the team for the operation.
In another case, the Tirupati court has convicted three persons of smuggling red sanders, as per the case produced by by Srikalahasti Rural Police Station in 2014 under AP Forest Act 1967, Rule 3 of Red Sandal Wood Transit Rules 1969. The junior civil judge delivered the verdict on Wednesday.
Kollagunta Siva (24), Boyalapalli Murali (24) and Boyalapalli Damu (24), all hailing from Renigunta Road in Tirupati, were fined ₹1,000 and given six months imprisonment each. Superintendent of Police V. Harshavardhan Raju appreciated the team for taking the case to the logical end.
Published - July 03, 2024 09:10 pm IST
