Stolen red sanders recovered near Arakkonam: four persons held
Tirupattur police arrested four individuals and recovered 133 logs of stolen red sanders, including 1.75 tonnes taken from a government depot. The investigation led to the suspension of five forest staff members for negligence.
Why it matters
Red sanders smuggling is a significant illegal trade issue in India, and this case highlights security lapses within government storage facilities.
Four persons were arrested by Tirupattur town police after they recovered red sanders stolen from a government depot at a car shed near Arakkonam town in Ranipet on Thursday.
Police said that the arrested persons were identified as B. Chitti, 37, a resident of Chittoor (A.P), S. Poovarasan, 25, from Tiruttani, R. Ajith, 24, a native of Tirupattur, and G. Satyaraj, 58, the owner of the car shed.
Initial inquiry revealed that on July 18, forest staff at Government Sandalwood Depot in Tirupattur town found that 55 logs of red sanders, weighing 1.75 tonnes, were stolen. The missing red sanders logs have been estimated around ₹50 lakh.
Based on a complaint by forest officials, a case was registered by Tirupattur town police. Subsequently, M. Mahendran, District Forest Officer (DFO), Tirupattur, suspended five forest staff who were on duty at the depot.
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