Tightening their grip on the smugglers, the Tirupati (Urban) police got approval from the District Collector to bring five more arrested smugglers involved in many smuggling cases under the Preventive Detention (PD) Act to prevent them from coming out immediately on bail. The urban police submitted the proposals to the Chittoor District Collector for brining the five arrested under the PD Act immediately after their arrest two months back, which was approved on Monday.

Producing the five accused before media here on Monday, Additional Superintendent of Police  Subba Reddy and Trimurthulu said that the five smugglers were Chirala Rajesh (25) from Karakambadi near here, Vasanthu Ashok Kumar Reddy (33), Mangalam area of Tirupati,  Bathini Thirumala (24), P Venkateshan (27) both from Ramapuram village of Thiruttani Taluk of Tamil Nadu Tiruvallore district,  N Thangavelu (30) Chithur village of Vellore district also in TN.

Ramesh was facing five cases registered against him in various police station including Tiruchanur, Tirumala, Alipiri, Renigunta and Srikalahasthi. All the five cases were booked under the AP Forest Act and AP Forest Sandalwood and Red sanders Wood Transit Act,  1969, while Ashok Kumar Reddy for smuggling red sanders, one each at Tiruchanur, Tirumala II Town, Alipiri, Renigunta, RC Puram and Srikalahasthi.

Bathini Tirumala, N Thangavelu and P Venkatesam were also facing five cases booked in the five police stations of Tirumala, Alipiri, Sikalahasthi, Tiruchanur and Renigunta.

The said that Urban police also decided to bring four more smugglers who were arrested but were on bail under PD Act, as they were continuing the illegal smuggling of red sanders, even after they were let out on bail.

However, they refused to divulge the name or details of the four smugglers on the ground that it hampers the efforts of the police to track them down.

The five smugglers who were brought under PD Act would be sent to Rajahmundry Central Prison, the Additional SPs said.