Superintendent of Police Nachiket Vishwanath Shelke inspecting the sweet lime-laden pickup vehicle used for smuggling red sander logs, in Kadapa on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT
The Kadapa district police arrested nine persons for their alleged involvement in three separate cases of red sanders smuggling and seized 87 logs weighing 1.810 metric tonnes. They also confiscated five four-wheel drive vehicles used for smuggling the logs from the accused.
As part of the district-wide crackdown announced by the Superintendent of Police (SP) Shelke Nachiket Vishwanath, police from the Mannur police station, led by Inspector Lingappa and Red Sanders Task Force Inspector C. Shankar Reddy, conducted vehicle checks at Akepadu crossroads in Rajampeta mandal and intercepted a container vehicle arriving from Tirupati.
On seeing the police, the occupants inside the vehicle tried to flee but were nabbed by police, who also seized 42 logs from the vehicle. The accused were identified as Vadamanchi Murali (26) from Renigunta, Palepu Manohar (31) from Kodur and Sunil Kumar (29) from Churu district in Rajasthan.
Similarly, in Veeraballi police limits, officials led by T. Sundupalli Inspector A. Suresh Reddy noticed a car parked near the forest area, where some persons were reportedly loading red sanders logs onto a waiting car. One person, identified as Syed Shahabuddin (36) from Anekal in Karnataka, was arrested, while others fled the scene. Eight logs, two mobile phones, and a four-wheeler were seized from the spot.
Meanwhile, a third team led by Khajipet Inspector K. Ramana Reddy intercepted two vehicles on the Khajipet-Badvel main road that were reportedly proceeding towards Nagasanipalle in a suspicious manner. They apprehended five persons and seized 37 logs and the two vehicles. The arrested were identified as Idigattu Srinivasulu (40), Idigattu Nagendra (38), Idigattu Subbarayudu (36), Battala Venkata Subbaiah (35) and Orsu Chandra (30), all hailing from Mydukur.
The SP warned that strict legal action would be taken against those involved in felling, possessing, concealing, purchasing, transporting or assisting in the illegal trade of red sanders. “Non-bailable cases will be registered wherever applicable and strict action will be taken as per law. Even the PD Act will be invoked against habitual offenders,” he warned.
Published – September 23, 2026 08:54 pm IST
