Demonetisation makes Tamil Nadu woodcutters rich

Anantapur: In the wake of demonetisation of big notes, big smugglers have deposited the old currency and transferred those into the bank accounts of Tamil Nadu woodcutters as their wages in advance, so that the red sanders smuggling process from Seshachalam forest continues without a break.

During the recent arrest of Tamil Nadu woodcutters in the deep forest, the Kadapa police and task force teams noticed the labourers were paid charges in advance by transfer of cash to their accounts.

Rural banks from Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts, from where professional woodcutters are engaged by the smugglers, witnessed large scale of cash deposits soon after the demonetisation was announced, a senior police official from Kadapa revealed and further added that the available information was given to the Income Tax department.

“Smugglers and mediators dumped cash in big number of savings accounts at rural banks of both districts soon after demonetisation was announced. Smugglers approached the families of woodcutters offered advance payments,” the official said and added rural banks had never got such huge deposits in the history.

Kadapa Officer on Special Duty Satya Esubabu said the borders were tightened to resist entry of the red sander woodcutters from Tamil Nadu. “We are freezing every movement of the woodcutters in Seshachalam forest in addition to demonetisation effect,” the official stated.

Task Force Deputy Inspector General Kanta Rao said the task force wing would tighten movements of the woodcutters from all the way, including freezing of the accounts and also stringent action locally en route to Seshachalam forest.  
Already big number of international and interstate smuggles were nabbed along with huge quantity of red sander logs, he said.