Four TN government employees held for helping smuggle red sanders in Andhra
India Today
Four Tamil Nadu state road transport corporation employees were arrested in Andhra Pradesh for helping red sandalwood smugglers. One of the accused was allegedly working closely with dreaded smugglers Damodaran and Sekhar.
In a major crackdown on red sandalwood smugglers, Andhra Pradesh police nabbed four Tamil Nadu government employees while 36 red sandalwood smugglers managed to give the police a slip.
The Task Force personnel were conducting vehicle checks at Pakalavaripalli toll plaza on the Puthalapattu-Naidupet national highway on Thursday, February 10. Four Tamil Nadu state transport corporation employees were arrested for helping red sandalwood smugglers.
Ismail (46) is the Vaniyambadi-Vellore driver, Jayashankar (46) is the Vaniyambadi-Vellore conductor, Govinda Swamy (45) is the Vaniyambadi-Vellore extra conductor and Tiruvannamalai Road Transport Corporation (RTC) mechanic, Gunasekharan, (46) were taken into custody for further interrogation.
It is alleged that the bus staff used to transport woodcutters from Tamilnadu to Andhra Pradesh at the behest of smugglers. They also used to help them logistically.
According to police circle inspector Srinivasan, Gunasekharan was a key person in the smuggling of red sandalwood woodcutters. He was working closely with dreaded smugglers Damodaran and Sekhar.
He was smuggling red sandalwood with the help of Tamil Nadu RTC staff. As many as 28 school bags, 3 luggage bags and 8 plastic bags were seized from the Tamil Nadu RTC bus, and a case was registered against them. All the arrested persons were remanded.
A manhunt has also been launched to nab the kingpin Damodaran and Sekhar.
