Sandalwood thief shot at on defence campus

A sandalwood thief was shot at, while four others managed to escape when defence personnel fired at them after they entered the Banaswadi military garrison around 2.45 am on Monday.

Ramar (40), a native of Tamil Nadu, sustained bullet injuries and is being treated at Bowring Hospital.

“Four to five people trespassed into Banaswadi Military Garrison around 2.45 am on Monday with a purpose of cutting sandalwood trees. They were spotted by an army patrol which immediately challenged them. The thieves started pelting stones at them and tried to flee. They refused to surrender even after being warned, and instead, assaulted the personnel on duty with weapons. An army personnel was injured, upon which the patrol leader ordered firing below waist level,” the defence public relation officer said.

Following the order, “three shots hit the left thigh of Ramar, a native of Thandvamavat, near Salam in Tamil Nadu. The others managed to escape. After administering first-aid, the injured was shifted to Bowring Hospital," he said. After a detailed search, sandalwood logs and cutting tools were recovered from the spot.

The Banaswadi police said that Hawaldar Rajesh Rana, who was on night rounds, fired at the accused after they refused to surrender and started throwing stones at him.

The defence personnel informed police around 4.45 am on Monday and lodged a complaint at 8.15 am.

Police said Ramar and associates were involved in sandalwood thefts in and around the city, including two on defence campuses, in the recent past. They are questioning him to ascertain the identity of his associates.