Pollachi: Udumalpet forest officials have taken 3 sandalwood smugglers to custody and launched search for one who is on run.
According to forest sources, based on a tipoff, forest staff launched a vehicle check near Maraiyoor on TN-Kerala forest border near Udumalpet in Tirupur district on Tuesday night. They checked all the vehicles crossing the forest check post. They found sandalwood being carried in a car. When enquired, the four persons travelling in the car did not give satisfactory answers.
While forest staff made attempt to take them to custody, the gang started to attack them. After a tough fight in cinematic style the forest department personnel took three persons to custody while one among them escaped. During preliminary investigations they were identified as Vino, 30, Joemon, 27, Siju, 29 and Anup, 35 who is on the run.
The worth of smuggled sandalwood is estimated to be around Rs 20 lakh. Further probe is on.
