3 red sanders smugglers held

Tirupati: Three smugglers from Tamil Nadu were arrested in two separate incidents for smuggling red sanders on Wednesday and about 40 to 45 smugglers managed to escape from the combing Task Force. According to available information, task force personnel led by RSI Bhaskar intercepted a group of about 20 smugglers in Srivarimettu area, 25 km from here on Wednesday.

One smuggler who was later identified was from Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, was nabbed and the remaining managed to escape in the forest. Rice and vegetables were also recovered from the area. In another incident at Hanumakona forest area of Chamala range, near Tirumala, another batch of Task Force sighted 20 smugglers coming down the hill carrying red sander logs.

The smugglers who noticed the approaching police ran back into the deep forest, leaving behind 20 red sanders logs which were later retrieved by the force. The Task Force personnel who chased them were able to catch two smugglers while others escaped. The captured smugglers are also from Tamil Nadu. Even here also the task force seized rice and vegetables kept by the smugglers for their food requirement. Intense combing is on in the area to nabbed out the escaped smugglers.