Sandalwood that was seized by the forest department weighed 14 kg
Ten-year-old sandalwood tree was chopped off from the campus of a private company on Nanjappa Road. (Photo: DC)
Coimbatore: Two of a five-member gang which cut down a sandalwood tree at Selvapuram in Periyanaickenpalayam have been arrested. The forest officials seized Rs 60,000 worth sandalwood from them. While, the two persons were nabbed three others managed to escape. The sandalwood that was seized by the forest department weighed 14 kg. Meanwhile, in the heart of the city, Nanjappa Road, a watchman was locked inside the house and three miscreants smuggled the trunk of a 10-year-old sandalwood tree and decamped, the Katoor police said.
The tree was at the premises of a house of a businessman who owned a private company just close by. The owners of the house were abroad and the watchman Sankarappan (70) and his wife stayed at the outhouse inside the premises. At 2 a.m. on Friday, the watchman heard a huge noise outside. When he attempted to get out of the house, the door was locked from outside and he was unable to come out.’
When Sankaran peeped out through the window, he saw three miscreants using electric saw to fell the trunk of the tree. In a matter of a few minutes, they loaded it in a vehicle and fled. Sankaran meanwhile called the police control room from his phone. Cops from the Kattoor police station had to break the lock to open the door. Investigations are on to ascertain who they are.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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