JOIN USIn an interesting case, Devaraja traffic police stopped a helmetless two-wheeler rider during their routine check and unearthed sandalwood smuggling in the city on Tuesday. Two youths from the city have been arrested in this regard.
The accused have been identified as Suhail, 25 years and resident of Udaygiri and Javeed of Shanthinagar here. The duo was smuggling seven kg of sandalwood logs in two bags on a two-wheeler when they were stopped by the police near Mysore Race Club at 7 pm.
Police who grew suspicious inspected the bags and found wooden logs and a cudgel. When the two failed to give convincing answers, they were handed over to jurisdictional Nazarbad police.
During interrogation, they are learnt to have told the police about a man in Nanjangud who had engaged them for the task. Previously on two occasions, they had acted according to the instructions of the man by bringing the logs from temple town and delivering it to a customer in a designated place. What had compelled them to take up the job was Rs 1,000 paid for a few hours of delivering the good. A case has been registered.
Theft at zoo In another case, miscreants have made away with sandalwood logs after allegedly cutting a portion of the tree on the premises of Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, popular as Mysore zoo in the city.
About three to four foot portion of five-year-old sandalwood tree near the second gate of the zoo facing Lalitha Mahal road was found cut on Wednesday morning.
Executive director of the zoo B P Ravi told Deccan Herald that he was aware of the matter and has ordered for internal inquiry. It is only after the inquiry, if the case is found fit to be taken to police, the matter will be referred for further investigation.
The officer said however the stolen logs are whitewood as it takes 14 to 15 years for a sandalwood tree to mature, and turn into a worthy natural resource.