CHENNAI: The Andhra Pradesh police arrested a head constable attached to the Chennai city police for allegedly being part of a gang that smuggled red sanders from the forests there.
The arrested policeman was identified as B Chandrasekar (45), a native of Sivaganga district and living in Cochin house police quarters in Thousand Lights area, police sources said.
He was attached to the Chintadripet police station three months ago as a head constable and was a driver to the Inspector (crime), Balasubramanian.
Chandrasekar last reported to work on Sunday night after which he took two days’ leave. During the early hours of Monday, Sathiyavedu police personnel secured 15 persons who were carrying about three tonnes of red sanders in a truck.
One of the arrested persons was Chennai police’s head constable, Chandrasekar, police sources said. “His duty ended at 10 pm and it seems he was in Sathiyavedu police limits within four hours, where he was caught by a special team of Chittoor district police,” an official said.
Chandrasekar and the accomplices were booked under sections of IPC, including dacoity, causing hurt and criminal intimidation, along with sections of AP Forest Act, AP Forest Amendment Act and Violation of AP Forest Produce Transit Rules Act.
The head constable was produced before a magistrate there and remanded in judicial custody.