NEW DELHI:The forest areas abutting the Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park in Tirupati seem to have turned into a hotbed of red sanders smuggling if the recent incidents are any indication.
Several skirmishes had been reported in the area between Task Force officials and smuggling operatives in the recent past, with the latest one reported in the early hours of Thursday. The combing party, in the course of its regular patrol, reached the forest area near Mangalam. At around midnight, they came face-to-face with smuggling operatives at Rickshaw Colony.
Taken aback at the surprise ambush, the smuggling operatives pelted stones at the officials. With the operatives not paying heed to their appeal to stop pelting stones, the officials fired one round in the air in an act of self defence. They also managed to nab one operative while the remaining managed to escape into the forest. The officials also recovered seven red sanders logs.
They mobilised extra forces to track the remaining operatives. Later, the combing party entered the forest areas near S.V. Zoological Park leading to Srivari Mettu only to find 10 smugglers with axes, hacksaws, and other tools used to fell trees. Though they could not nab the woodcutters, they recovered the tools and continued the operation. They also recovered provisions such as rice, dal, and vegetables, along with hacksaws, near Parvetimandapam on the rear side of the Tirumala hills.
Task Force head and DIG M. Kantha Rao visited the areas and stressed the need for continuing the operation to cover the zoo park area as it had turned into a hideout for the operatives. The combing parties seized more than 250 logs worth nearly Rs.10 crore in the recent past in the forest area.
