Police gun down 20 red sandalwood smugglers in India
(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Highest toll in single encounter in history of red-sander smuggling in Andhra
googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1403017634913-0');
Hyderabad — In a major operation against the rampant red sander smuggling in Andhra Pradesh at least 20 smugglers were killed in an encounter with the police in Seshachalam hill ranges in Chittoor district on Tuesday.
This is the highest toll in a single encounter in the history of red-sander smuggling in the region. The encounter started at 5am at two places within a radius of one kilometre in Seshachalam forest near Chandragiri about 500kms from Hyderabad.
A gang of over 100 smugglers attacked the members of Special Task Force (STF) who were on a combing operation in the region notorious for red sander smuggling.
The smugglers first attacked the police party with stones and iron rods. The police then retaliated with fire killing at least 11 persons on the spot at Cheekatikona and nine others at Eethagunta both located deep in the forest area.
Andhra Pradesh Minister for Forests B Gopalakrishna Reddy said the smugglers had sneaked into the forest area from neighbouring Tamil Nadu. After a fierce exchange of fire with the police many of them managed to escape he said.
The STF members were engaged in combing operations in Srinivasa Mangapuram Srivarimettu and Eethagunta areas of Chandragiri Mandal abutting the Tirumala hills since Monday.
They found more than 100 woodcutters engaged in the task of felling trees.
The policemen asked them to surrender but they rained stones and hurled sickles at the police forcing the STF members to open fire.
At the end of the operation lasting several hours 20 persons were found dead the STF Deputy Inspector General of Police M Kantha Rao said.
—
For more news from Khaleej Times follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes and on Twitter at khaleejtimes
Follow khaleejtimes -->