In a show of remarkable courage, villagers from Appinapalli in Chittoor district chased down a vehicle carrying red sandalwood logs and helped forest officials seize the logs on Friday morning. The villagers said they were inspired by Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Forest and Environment K. Pawan Kalyan’s strong stance against red sandalwood smuggling.
In a post on X, the Deputy Chief Minister’s office said the suspect Tavera vehicle passed a check post near Pulicherla where the Tirupati Air Force was conducting checks. Forest personnel tried to intercept the vehicle, but it sped off towards Bengaluru. During the chase, two passengers jumped out of the moving vehicle and ran away. The driver continued to drive forward.
Acting on the information provided by the forest officials, the villagers of Appinapalli quickly mobilized and chased the vehicle. Realizing he was cornered, the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled. On inspection, forest officials and police found 10 logs of red sandalwood hidden inside the vehicle.
With the assistance of the villagers, the logs were confiscated and the Deputy Chief Minister was immediately informed about the incident. He appreciated the bravery and quick action of the people of Appinapalli and also appreciated the efforts of forest and police personnel involved in the operation.
The villagers said their decision to pursue the smugglers was motivated by their desire to support the Deputy Chief Minister’s ongoing efforts to curb red sandalwood smuggling in the region, which is yielding positive results. Officials are investigating to identify and arrest the smugglers who fled the scene.
Published – 14 Nov 2025 19:53 IST
