Two kingpins of red sanders smuggling arrested by AP police

He was operating from there with the help of well-known smugglers like Sahil Bhai and Kasti Reddy. There were 57 cases pending against him. He was arrested by the police during a vehicle check at Rajampet in Cuddapah district. His relative, Siroj Dastagir, was arrested along with him. The duo revealed that they had hidden red sanders wood at Rolla Madugu. Police visited the spot and confiscated 190 kg– of red sanders. They also seized one vehicle, two cars, two mobiles, one laptop and Rs 10,000 in cash from them.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Forests in the AP government, B Gopala Krishna Reddy, has made it clear that only people who indulged in red sanders cutting and smuggling were being arrested. He was asked in Renigunta railway station about the recent arrest of 32 Tamils allegedly for cutting red sanders wood. Not all the devotees who numbered about two lakhs were being arrested, he pointed out. 

It was not proper on the part of Tamil Nadu to portray them as heroes, he said. It was not in the interest of Tamil Nadu government to support them, the minister added. “Let them prove their innocence and get acquitted. We will take stern action against red sanders smugglers,” he said. An auction of seized red sanders logs would be held next month, according to him.