Red Sanders worth ₹60 lakh seized, one TN-based smuggler held in Chittoor district
TIRUPATI: The Punganur Urban Police arrested a smuggler and seized 19 A-grade red sanders logs, worth Rs 60 lakh, near Morampalli bus stop in Penumuru mandal of Chittoor district late on Sunday night. The arrested person was identified as K. Kishore, a resident of Tirupati city.
Disclosing the case details to media persons on Monday, Deputy SP (Law and Order) N. Sudhakar Reddy said, acting on specific inputs about the smuggling of red sanders logs by a gang of smugglers, District SP Y. Rishanth Reddy had formed special police teams and intensified vehicular checking in the district.
A special party led by Punganur urban circle inspector T. Madhusudhan Reddy and sub-inspector A. Mohan Kumar, conducted vehicular checking at Morampalli bus stop when they spotted two cars moving suspiciously toward Rayalapeta from Nalla Gutlapalli. On seeing the police, the smugglers made a U-turn and tried to flee from the spot. However, the police managed to intercept the two cars and arrested one smuggler, according to the DSP.
The police had seized the 19 red sanders logs, weighing over 600 kgs and worth Rs 60 lakh in the international market. They also seized two four-wheelers, worth Rs 10 lakh. DSP Sudhakar Reddy stated that the Punganur police had registered a case and a search operation was on to nab the accused at large. The DSP said that the prime accused involved in the smuggling was identified as Y. Hari Babu, a noted comedian, who earlier worked for Jabardasth comedy show.
