One arrested; Wood illegally transported from Chikkamagalur-Hassan region

Mysore/Mysuru: The Forest Mobile Squad (Police) and T. Narasipur Range Forest officials, in a joint operation, have arrested one person on charges of transporting teak wood logs illegally from Chikkamagalur and Hassan side to a saw mill and have seized the teak wood logs worth about Rs. 7-8 lakh from the saw mill at Kodagalli village in Bannur hobli.

The arrested is Abdul Khadir, a resident of Mandi Mohalla in city.

During interrogation, the accused is said to have confessed of purchasing the teak wood logs from one Santosh of Chikkamagalur and Hassan side and had transported the logs to the saw mill to be cut to smaller pieces which were to be sold later.

The accused was produced before a Court at Nanjangud, which remanded him (accused) to judicial custody.

The Police have contacted their counterparts in Chikkamagalur and Hassan, who have launched a hunt to nab Santosh, from whom the accused had purchased the teak wood logs.

According to a Forest official, any farmer who has grown teak wood trees in their farm land and wants to sell it, should bring the same to the notice of the Forest Department, obtain permission and only then he can sell it. 

Range Forest Officer (RFO) Shashidhar, Deputy Range Forest Officers (DRFOs) M.S. Umesha and Manjunath and staff Chandrappa, Chethan, Lokesh, Manjunath, Police Constables Krishnegowda and Raghu took part in the raid, nabbing and seizing operation.