NELLORE: Red Sanders Task Force along with local police on Monday seized 64 red sanders logs worth `1 crore. The team nabbed 21 inter-state and local smugglers, including most wanted smugglers Sangati Subbaiah and Dadineni Subbaiah. The police seized two country-made weapons, two tractors, auto, seven motorcycles, 13 mobile phones, 20 axes and `5,030 in cash from them.Disclosing the details to the media at Umesh Chandra Conference Hall here, SP PHD Ramakrishna said that the Task Force team along with local police conducted raids in the forest area at Rapur, Ananthasagaram and also in Kaluvoya.
“When the Task Force team tried to nab smugglers at Rapur and Ananthasagaram areas, they pelted stones at the police and a few smugglers fled the scene,” Ramakrishna said. “Sangati Subbaiah and Dadineni Subbaiah, who hail from Pangali village in Rapur mandal are the most wanted smugglers. They exported several loads of red sanders logs to Chennai, Bengaluru and also other parts of the country. They have been exporting logs from the forest area for the last 30 years,” Ramakrishna said.
The SP said that Sangati Subbaiah was also involved in an attack on the forest officer and a case was also filed against him.“A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused, who have been at large during the raids,” said Ramakrishna. He stated that cases had been filed against the accused under AP Forest (Amendment) Act, 2016, Section 51 of Wild Life Protection Act, 1977 and also other sections.