Four arrested for smuggling red sandalwood

BERHAMPUR : Forest officials on Monday arrested four persons, including a polio-stricken man, on charges of trying to smuggle out red sandalwood from Naryanpur reserve forest under Mahendra forest range in Gajapati district.
Forest officials seized one tonne sandalwood worth over Rs 2 lakh. The accused persons were identified as Kamala Sabara, 35, Mangala Raghab, 45, Gobardhan Pasbuka Reddy, 55, and Bharat Aliana, 45, said forest range officer Prabhakar Nayak.
Polio-stricken Aliana was arrested earlier for allegedly smuggling ganja into different places of the state, Haryana and Chennai, forest officials said. They suspect the tricycle-rider might be the middleman for the smuggling activities. "We are verifying his role," said forester Prakash Chandra Bisoi.
While some logs of sandalwood were seized from the spot, others were recovered during raids on houses of the accused. The four persons confessed to cutting an old tree.
Red sandalwood, an endangered species, is highly in demand in international market, mainly China. It is used for preparing medicines, handicraft items, furniture and perfume.
Red sandalwood trees are abundant in Gajapati district, particularly in Garabandh and Mahendra forests, located along Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border.