Five-member gang caught selling red sanders in Bengaluru

A five-member gang involved in the smuggling of red sanders has been arrested by the Byatarayanapura police, who seized 1,693 kg of the wood worth Rs 2.68 crore.

Police have filed two separate cases and are making efforts to nab the other accused.

Acting on a tip-off that two people were selling red sanders in New Timber Yard Layout on Mysuru Road on July 22, police inspector Shankar Naik G K rushed to the area with his team and spotted two suspicious-looking men on a bike with a bag near Timber Corporation.

When police tried detaining the duo, one of them, identified as Ajay, fled the spot. Police caught 31-year-old Vinod, a resident of Vrushabhavathi Nagar in Kamakshipalya. Vinod, a driver, has been taken into police custody for questioning.

A case has been registered against him under the Karnataka Forest Act and IPC Section 379 (theft).

Vinod confessed to police that someone else had sent the red sanders to sell. He was only aware of a house in Hesaraghatta where a large quantity of the wood has been stored.

Police visited the spot with Vinod and found 1,500 kg of red sanders hidden in an empty water sump. Smugglers had packed them in sacks, dumped them in the sump and covered it with plywood sheet.

After Vinod told the police that a gang will be selling red sanders near the NICE Road underpass on Mysuru Road, the team went to the spot on July 24 and arrested Sanjay, Raju, Krishna and Laxmaiah, all farmers from Solur village of Magadi taluk in Ramanagara district. Police seized 115 kg of red sanders from the gang.

They are investigating both incidents.