TIRUCHY: Three persons were arrested in Ariyalur on Wednesday for attacking police personnel for preventing sand smuggling.

R Rajesh (23), K Vinod Kumar (26), and Charan (20), all from Senthurai in Ariyalur district, were smuggling sand from Vellaru by a load van on September 15, sources said.

When crossing the Sivapuram arch, the Thalavai police head constable Tamil Selvan and Home Guard personnel Venkatesan saw them and followed the van in their two-wheeler.

Seeing the police on their tail, Rajesh, who was driving the van, hit their two-wheeler. The duo fell and sustained injuries.

The gang got down from the van, assaulted them and escaped. Onlookers rescued the injured police and home guard personnel and admitted them to Ariyalur Medical College hospital, where they have been undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, the information about the incident was passed on to the Ariyalur SP S Selvaraj, who ordered a special team to nab the culprits.

The team that conducted an elaborate search arrested the trio on Tuesday at late hours. On Wednesday, they were produced before the court and were lodged in the central prison in Tiruchy.