5 days ago
Six red sanders smugglers nabbed in Kadapa district
Police apprehended six red sanders smugglers involved in several cases in Kadapa district and recovered logs weighing nearly a tonne from them on Sunday.
The arrested were identified as Iragamreddy Naga Dastagiri Reddy (35), Mudireddy Rammohan Reddy (47), U. Krishnaiah (53), Kayala Srinivasulu (44), Bandreddi Obul Reddy (54) and Sanivarapu Balagangi Reddy (44), all hailing from various places in Kadapa district. The six were arrested near Chinnavaradayapalle forest on Proddatur-Annavaram road during a regular checking on Saturday.
The smugglers, travelling in an SUV and a sedan car, tried to zoom past the check post when the alert police apprehended them. The police suspect the involvement of more smugglers, especially powerful people, behind the arrested six.
Kadapa Superintendent of Police (SP) E.G. Ashok Kumar while addressing the media said that Dastagiri Reddy was a notorious criminal wanted in 86 red sanders smuggling and 34 theft cases. 'There are three P.D. Act cases pending against him and his wife Lalu Bi, a co-accused who is currently in jail. His relatives Lalu Basha, Fakruddin and Zakir are also facing hundreds of cases,' he said.
According to the SP, Dastagiri is directly linked to Salim, a Delhi-based kingpin, who used to send hawala money through Hyderabad-based Vikram Singh Solanki, who had also been arrested recently. Apart from the 1,087 kg of seized red sanders logs, the cops also seized two cars and a motorcycle.
