Four interstate sandalwood smugglers arrested

Mysuru City Police busted an interstate sandalwood smuggling gang and have solved 10 cases, reported under different police stations in Mysuru, recently. Forty-six kg of sandalwood and a car have been recovered.

Four persons: Bhoopathi alias Keeri, son of Karupusami, 24; Francis alias Louis, son of Anthony Raj, 26; and Praveen Kumar alias Thambi, son of Francis, 20 of Susaipuram in Talawadi taluk, Erode district; and Senthil Kumar alias Sendil, son of Chinnamani, 38 of Thitumurugan Poondi, Avinashi taluk, Tirupur district, Tamil Nadu, were arrested.

As there were theft of sandalwood under various police stations, across Mysuru city, Police Commissioner Chandragupta had constituted a special team, under DCP M S Geetha Prasanna and the probe was conducted by Nazarbad Sub-Inspector M L Siddesh and colleagues. The team apprehended the four accused from Tamil Nadu near a park on KC Layout Main Road, under Nazarbad Police Station limits, following a tip-off.

With the arrest, two cases under Nazarbad station, one case under Lakshmipuram station, one care under Jayalakshmipuram station, two cases under Ashokapuram station, three cases under Krishnaraja station, and one case under Narasimharaja station have been solved.

The team, consisting of B V Prakash, H V Madhukesh, P Chetan, Sandesh Kumar, Kiran Rathod, and H S Chetan, was guided by in-charge ACP Mariyappa and Inspector Srikanth.

The team was supported by Technical Cell Inspector Lolakshi and CCB Inspector R Jagadeesh, besides personnel C M Manju and P Kumar.