Two red sanders smugglers from Tamil Nadu held in AP

The arrested were identified as Doraiswamy of Vellore district and Bhupathi of Salem district in Tamil Nadu. 

According to the Sub-Inspector (Reserve) Bhaskar, a team of Red Sander Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) started combing operation from Annadammula Banda in Seshachalam forest on Monday morning. 

They found some persons at Karivepaku Kona engaged in felling the red sander trees. The task force personnel warned the wood cutters to surrender but the latter started pelting stones and attacked with sickles. 

The task force team retaliated the unexpected attack from smugglers and managed to arrest two smugglers belonging to a 14-member gang. 

The remaining smugglers fled into thick forest leaving behind their belongings like machetes, saws and chopping knives. No task force personnel were injured in the incident, Bhaskar added.