red-sandalwood smugglers Killed in Seshachalam forest, police Encounter in Tirupati kills smugglers

In an encounter with police 20 red-sandalwood ‘smugglers’, mostly suspected to be illegal wood cutters were killed on Tuesday morning in Seschalam forest near Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradhesh.

Smugglers armed with sickles and axes attacked the police by hurling stones. In retaliation, the Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) sleuths opened fire and killed them.

Majority of those killed were natives of Tamil Nadu. According to sources, 2 among those killed were international red sander smugglers.

Speaking from the encounter site over the phone, RSASTF DIG M Kantha Rao said that 20 were killed including 11 at Srinivasa Mangapuram and nine at Srivarimettu.

“I am the encounter site and hunt is on still for more member of the absconding red sanders smugglers,” he said.

Director General of Police Mr. J V Ramudu also met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and gave him details of the incident.

AP Additional Director General of Police (law and order) Mr R P Thakur said, “We had received information that large number of smugglers are on prowl in the forest. Teams of Red Sanders Task Force laid ambush at two places. The Task Force consisted of forest officials and armed reserve policemen too. When our teams asked them to surrender the smugglers retaliated by hurling stones and they are armed with sickles and axes. When the task force opened fire, 20 of them were shot dead and many of them escaped. The smugglers were carrying red sanders logs,” he said.

Police have launched a massive search to nab those who escaped.