A battle-like situation prevailed for some time in Anajalakona forest.
Representational image
Tirupati: A “battle-like” situation prevailed for some time in Anajalakona forest of Chandragiri mandal on Tuesday after some woodcutters started pelting stones on task force personnel, forcing the latter to fire two rounds into the air.
The cops chased and caught one of the 80 woodcutters while the others managed to escape. The team also seized 77 red sanders logs worth Rs 2 crore. According to sources, the task force teams had intensified combing operations in the area since the past three days following increase in the movement of woodcutters. The cops caught nine woodcutters with 10 red sanders logs on Monday night. On Tuesday morning, the sleuths stumbled upon the 80 woodcutters in the forest where the “encounter” occurred.
The teams are searching for those who escaped from the scene.
Divisional range officer Kodandam, assistant range officer Raghunadh and forest staffer Ananda Reddy, along with 30 cops belonging to the 11th battalion took part in the combing operations. Meanwhile, in a separate incident Renigunta police seized 30 red sanders logs worth Rs 70 lakh from Tarakaramanagar in Renigunta on Tuesday following a tip off. They had seized red sanders worth Rs 1 crore from the same area two days ago.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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