Three red-sander smugglers were gunned down by police during a combing operation in Seshachalam forests of Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district.
The incident occurred yesterday when a police team was attacked by over 100 smugglers with axes and stones in the forests near Tirupati, Tirupati Urban District Superintendent of Police Rajasekhar Babu said.
"Police resorted to firing in self-defence, resulting in the death of three of the smugglers. A hunt is on to nab the absconding smugglers. It is still not clear to which place the deceased belong," the SP, who visited the scene said, adding that as many as five police personnel suffered injuries in the attack.
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"It is (red-sander smuggling) turning out to be a mafia. It is no longer forest offence. Stern action will be taken as per law against the smugglers," the senior police officer said.
A large number of red-sander smugglers had entered the forests during the recently held general elections and in view of this, police had been carrying out combing operations for the past few days.
At-least three such incidents have taken place in different forest areas of Chittoor district since May 23. Red sanders are found mainly in the Seshachalam hill ranges spread across Kadapa, Chittoor and Kurnool in the Rayalaseema region and parts of Nellore district in the state.
The wood has huge demand abroad, especially in China and Japan.
