Police administers religious oath to wood cutters

Tirupati: For the first time in Chittoor district, the police of Piler took the initiative in curbing the Red Sanders smuggling by administering 'religious oath' to wood cutters and smugglers. As the smuggling activity was rampant in Chittoor district and the deforestation was causing imbalance in the environment, the Piler police specially concentrated on bringing down smuggling activities to zero level. As part of this, the Piler police went a step ahead by counselling smugglers and wood cutters in Chintaguntapalle village of Yerravaripalem mandal. A few villagers of this village turned into wood cutters and informers, subsequently, the informers turned into smugglers. As the density of Red Sander trees is more in Yerravaripalem mandal, which is adjacent to Seshachalam forest. Inspector of police Parthasarathi took the initiative and gathered a few villagers, who were involved in smuggling activities and wood cutting works earlier, and conducted counselling sessions to them. He explained about the consequences of criminal activity and made them realise about the ill effects of smuggling. He identified 26 youth of the village and brought them to Sivalayam temple and administered the oath to prohibit them from smuggling activities, sharing of information to smugglers, shunning wood cutting and to protect the rare species.