AP Police Arrests 61 Woodcutters Of Tamil Nadu

13 April, Nellore

Andhra Pradesh Police have arrested 61 woodcutters belonging to the border districts of Tamil Nadu during combing operations in Marripadu and Veligonda forest areas of Nellore District.

According to Nellore Superintendent of Police, they suspect that these woodcutters are part of the same group of 100 woodcutters, who were allegedly involved in cutting red sanders trees and smuggling the logs from the Seshachalam forests, on April 7.

The SP said those arrested were from Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Salem districts. The offenders were moving in two groups of 43 and 18 members when the Police apprehended them.

They have been booked on the charges of illegally transporting red sanders logs, resisting employees on duty and attempt to murder. The police said logs worth 2 crore rupees were seized from the woodcutters.

Meanwhile, family members of the 20 persons, who died in the alleged encounter in the Seshachalam forest near Tirupathi, lodged a police complaint against the task force members Sunday , who were involved in the operation.

The relatives of 19 families came from Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts to Chandragiri police station in Chittoor district to file the complaint.