Daijiworld News Network - Kundapur (GA)

Kundapur, Feb 24: The forest department staff of Shankarnarayan zone have arrested 3 persons for smuggling sandalwood on Sunday February 19.

The arrested have been identified as Chandra Shettigar, a resident of Harondar in Koppa taluk, Mohammad Ali and Praveen Saldanha.  There were later produced before the court.  The court has remanded them for 14 days judicial custody.

They were caught while cutting the sandalwood trees at Konnimakki, which comes under the jurisdiction of Halady-Hilian reserve forest in the Udupi taluk.  The police raided the area on a sure tip off that the threesome were smuggling sandalwood.  During the raid, the arrested were cutting the sandalwood into smaller pieces so that it becomes easy for smuggling. 

The police have seized 28 kgs of sandalwood, sickles, saw, gunny bags and other things from the accused.  The total value of the seized sandalwood is said to be Rs 56,000.