Five smugglers were nabbed and 34 red sander logs seized in a pre-dawn operation at Karakambadi forest on the city’s outskirts on Wednesday. A constable was injured in the assault.
Acting on a tip-off, Red Sanders Anti Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) in-charge P. Ravishankar deputed a team led by Sub Inspectors Vasu, Krupanand and Lakshman into the Seshachalam forest abutting the city for combing. The team found around 20 men involved in loading logs into waiting vehicles at the forest situated beyond Bank Colony.
Pre-dawn swoop
When rounded up, some of the smugglers attacked the cops, in which Seenu, a police constable, sustained injuries. Fearing rataliatory attack, the smugglers left the logs behind and fled in the cover of darkness.
The police team, however, successfully nabbed five persons identified as G. Bhanuprakash (33) of Vadamalapet, Hari (20), Chandu Venkatesh (40), Gandikota Suresh (22) and Gondi Kiran (22), all hailing from Kadapa district.
The Task Force team seized 34 logs, two cars and a two-wheeler from the spot. Task Force in-charge P. Ravishankar and Deputy Superintendent of Police Venkataiah reached the spot to assess the situation. Subrahmanyam, Circle Inspector of Task Force Police Station, booked a case. Deputy Range Officers P.V. Narasimha Rao, Varaprasad and Forest Section Officer Nataraj took part in the operation.
