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Two smugglers hurt and two more flee
Bangalore, DH News Service:
Two persons were injured when armed jawans of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Station Jalahalli fired at a four-member gang of suspected sandalwood smugglers in the early hours of Friday.
The injured have been admitted to KC General Hospital in Malleswaram, where their condition is said to be stable. Two others managed to escape.
The smugglers had sneaked into the IAF Station premises, cut branches of some sandalwood trees and were gathering the pieces on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. Noticing this, the jawans on patrol swung into action and challenged them.
The criminals retaliated by brandishing weapons. They even threatened to kill the jawans if they were stopped. The IAF jawans then fired one round in the air and asked them to surrender, but the smugglers began fleeing. Finally, the jawans fired at them and wounded two.
The two smugglers were identified as Raviappa (40 years) and Reddyappa (45 years).
Both were from V Kote in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. In this regard, the Gangammanagudi police have registered cases of theft and attempt to murder, besides another case under the Forest Act. A hunt is on for the two others.
Earlier too, attempt to cut the sandalwood trees inside the Station by a Tamil Nadu gang was foiled.
WELL DONE!
Jalahalli had been a sanctury of sandal wood and Air Force had done a wonderful job in protecting these trees, but unfortunately over years poaching of sandal wood trees was rampant. But this step of fring on the thievs is a correct step by Air Force jawans.
Infact the road passing through Air Force Station East, should be closed for vehicle movement after sunset, but will our politicians listen any word about the saftey of our Nation assets?? NO SIR NO!