Hyderabad: At least 20 red sandalwood smugglers were killed in a joint operation by the Andhra Pradesh police and forest officials in Chittoor district of the state on Tuesday. Majority of those killed are said to natives of Tamil Nadu. While 11 persons were killed in Cheekatikona, nine more died in Eethagunta, both deep in the forest, around 10 k.m. from the nearest human habitation.
The Special Task Force members, who were engaged in combing operations in Srinivasa Mangapuram, Srivarimettu and Eethagunta areas of Chandragiri Mandal abutting the Tirumala hills since Monday, found more than 100 woodcutters engaged in the task of felling trees.
The policemen asked them to surrender, but the woodcutters hailing from Tiruvannamalai and Salem districts of Tamil Nadu allegedly rained stones and hurled sickles at them, forcing the STF to open fire in self-defence.
At the end of the operation lasting for several hours, 20 persons were found dead. While confirming the number of deaths, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Special Task Force) M. Kantha Rao sought more time to verify the criminal antecedents of the dead. The bodies were strewn all over the encounter spot.
The encounter started after a joint team of the Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) and forest officials intercepted about 100 red sandalwood smugglers inside the forest area.
The encounter is still on and many others have sustained injuries due to heavy exchange of gunfire from both sides. Top Andhra Pradesh officials have reached the encounter site and a massive search operation has also been launched in the areas adjoining the Chitoor forest. On December 4, the police had seized 23 tonnes of red-sandalwood worth Rs 9 crore from the smugglers.
Bureau Report
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