Chittoor: At least 20 smugglers or labour employed by red sanders mafia have been shot dead in an encounter in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday morning, police said.
The incident took place in the forests of Tirupati hills in Chandragiri Mandal where the smugglers camped to illegally cut down red sanders trees and smuggle them out to international markets.
Reports said the smugglers and coolies were moving around in the forests in the early hours when the special police team confronted them. The smugglers then attacked the police with stones and axes and the police opened fire.
At least 20 smugglers were killed after the force retaliated.
“About 20 smugglers were killed in the incident which can be termed as a major breakthrough. We are combing the area to nab the remaining smugglers,†Andhra Pradesh home minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa said.
Red sanders smuggling became rampant over the last ten years and the encounters have cost the lives of some forest officials.
Several people — most of them coolies from Tamil Nadu — were taken into custody in the past but the menace was never checkedÂ
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After the TDP government came to power last year, CM Nara Chandrababu Naidu vowed to put an end to the red sanders smuggling and formed a taskforce comprising police and forest officials under a DIG to curb the illegal practice.
After a red corner notice was issued by the state police, Gangi Reddy, a kingpin in the racket was arrested in Mauritius some time back.
Chittoor and Kadapa districts have vast swathes of forests where red sanders grow in abundance. The revenue deficit AP is now looking to cash in on this wealth.
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