TIRUPATTUR: Five Forest Department personnel have been placed under suspension in connection with the theft of red sanders logs worth Rs 50 lakh from the sandalwood depot within the Tirupattur District Forest Office premises.

On July 19, the Forest Department lodged a complaint with the Tirupattur Town police stating that 55 red sanders logs, valued at about Rs 50 lakh, had been stolen from the depot on the night of July 18.

The special teams are questioning Forest Department staff, timber traders and known offenders.

Meanwhile, DFO Mahendran on Wednesday suspended five personnel - single-lock officer Jothilingam, forest guards Mohankumar, Ramamoorthy and Renu, and forester Paramaguru - for alleged negligence.