In a rare case, red sanders logs seized in Vellore, gang flees

A team of forest officials during a surprise check in Edaichikkal near Sholinghur spotted a gang felling red sander trees and cutting them into small logs. On seeing the team of forest personnel, the gang immediately fled the scene abandoning three two-wheelers, red sander logs, saws and axes at the spot.

So far, illegal felling of red sander trees was rampant in Sesahachalam reserve forest near Tirupati in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. In most of the cases connected to cutting and smuggling of red sanders booked by the Andhra Pradesh, the accused were members of tribal communities residing in Tiruvannamalai district.

Though Vellore district too had a sizeable number of red sanders, they were of second quality. Moreover, the presence of red sanders in Vellore were not publicised much and as officials feared that it might attract unnecessary attention from red sander mafia. So, the smugglers were targeting the trees in Andhra Pradesh.