Police on Thursday arrested a man for smuggling red sandalwood, also known as Raktachandan, from Kengeri in Bengaluru city. This real life ‘Pushpa’ was trying to dodge the police at a check-post, the police suspected the vehicle during routine check post and caught him before fleeing.
During interrogation at a checkpoint, the smugglers spotted the police and tried to escape, but the Kengeri police acted swiftly and caught them and recovered five red sandalwood sticks, which would cost ₹ 3.15 lakh.
West Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner of Police Laxman B Nimbargi tweeted that the accused caught with red sandalwood in his vehicle was arrested from a police post and red sandalwood worth Rs 3.15 lakh was seized from him. The total weight of the recovered sandalwood was 105 kg and the accused has been taken into custody. The red colored car in which the sandalwood is being transferred has also been seized.
After this success, the Kengeri Police has become more alert in the area, checking is being done more carefully at the checkpost. Not only this, the police is conducting further investigation to nab other accused associated with this gang, who managed to escape from the police post. This red colored car, which is being said to be Toyota, has the number plate of Andhra Pradesh. It is to be known that this girl is found only in Seshachalam and its surrounding forests in Andhra Pradesh.
In February, a Bengaluru man Yasin Inayatullah was arrested for smuggling red sandalwood. He claimed to be inspired by the 2021 Telugu flick based on sandalwood smuggling titled Pushpa starring Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna. Wood worth Rs 2.45 crore was recovered from him.
He was reportedly inspired by the smuggling methods depicted in the film and was trying to turn the film into real life while smuggling red sandalwood in his truck. Yasin Inayatulla was found smuggling red sandalwood in his truck going from Karnataka-Andhra border to Maharashtra.
When he crossed the border, the Maharashtra Police caught him at Gandhi Chowk, Miraj Nagar in Sangli district and seized sandalwood worth Rs 10 lakh worth Rs 2.45 crore along with his truck.
Red sanders, known for their rich deep red color and healing properties. Although they are used throughout Asia, particularly in high demand in China and Japan, they are used to make cosmetics and medicinal products as well as furniture, wooden crafts and musical instruments. In China, it is believed that red sandalwood brings good luck.
