Two unknown persons in the car were injured, the other three fled the scene. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
The forest department on Sunday seized 500 kg of red grinders worth around ₹ 20 crore from an abandoned car at a police checkpost in Paradarami village near Gudiyatham on the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border in Vellore.
Forest officials said the team was patrolling the Paradarami reserve forest when they saw a car driving on the border. While trying to escape, the car sped off and slid into open terrain at an isolated spot near Gudiyatham town. Two unknown persons in the car were injured, the other three fled the scene.
Forest officials and police personnel rescued the injured persons and admitted them to the Taluk Government Hospital in Gudiyatham. The police found four wooden logs of red sanders that weighed around 500 kg. Special teams have been formed to track down other suspects. The seized wooden logs were sent to the government’s Incense Stick Manufacturing Unit in Tirupattur. A probe is underway.
Published – 23 March 2026 05:30 IST
