Four arrested in connection with theft of earth movers in custody in Keralam’s Idukki
Four men were arrested in Idukki, Kerala, for stealing two earth movers that had been impounded by the Forest Department. The vehicles were originally seized for their involvement in illegal tree felling within a protected forest reserve.
Why it matters
This incident highlights ongoing challenges in environmental law enforcement and the protection of forest reserves against illegal industrial activity.
The Udumbanchola police in Keralam’s Idukki on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) arrested four men in connection with the theft of two earth movers that were in custody under the Ponmudi forest section of the Devikulam range in the district.
According to officials, the Forest department registered a case on September 2 over the illegal felling of 69 trees from the Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR) area of a private estate under the Ponmudi section. Officials seized two earth movers used for felling and clearing the trees. After registering the case, the department sealed the vehicles, took them into custody, and submitted a report to the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Nedumkandam.
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