Hyderabad police unearths inter-state red sanders smuggling racket; arrests four

Hyderabad: The Commissioner’s Task Force — South Zone Team, Hyderabad — along with Punjagutta police unearthed an inter-state racket involved in smuggling of red sander wood all over India. The officials apprehended four people and seized red sanders wood weighing about 2,500 kg (2.5 ton) and one four-wheeler.

The accused have been identified as Nallani Radha Krishna, K Chandra, N Chennaiah, Ram Sevak Kumar M, Shiva have been handed over, along with the seized property, to SHO Punjagutta for further investigation.

The arrests were made under the supervision of G Chakravarthy, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, of the commissioner’s task force. Other officers include S Raghavendra, Inspector of Police South Zone, and SIs N Srishyalam, V Narender and Mohd Thakiuddin along with the staff of South Zone task force, Hyderabad.

Moving on to further details, four of the five accused (excluding Shiva) were apprehended by the South Zone task force along with Punjagutta Police early in the morning today. The arrested were travelling in a Honda City car with a fake number plate, carrying red sander wood samples in order to show it to customers for sale.

The entire story dates back to Radha Krishna, a degree graduate from Anantapur who chose to smuggle red sander to escape a financial crisis. He resorted to this after failing in various businesses.

In order to execute his plan, he met with Shiva, discussed his views, and showed his eagerness to smuggle red sander wood. Following this, Shiva took some time and arranged 2.5 tons of this rare wood from Lankamalla reserved forest, Kadapa, for Rs 400 per kg.

Radha Krishna immediately collected the wood from with the help of his associate Chandra, and he shifted the wood by hiding it under cover of vegetables. Later, he dumped it with Ram Kumar, a security guard at Ravia Gardens on a rental basis of Rs 10,000/- per month for further disposal.