Four nabbed on charges of stealing teakwood
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
COLLEM, JULY 25
Forest officials nabbed four persons on charges of stealing teakwood worth about Rs 1 lakh from the Mollem forest on Friday night.
According to Collem Range Forest Officer Nandkumar Parab, the accused – Hanumant Mallapalli, B Halagappa and Hanumant Madar, all from Karnataka and Ramesh Kamat of Vagon-Dabal – cut the teak trees at the reserved Palaskata-Mollem forest and placed the wood in the jungle.
On Friday night, the accused brought a truck (GA-09-U-0280) to carry the teakwood from the site.
RFO Parab and his team noticed the truck carrying the wood from the forest and intercepted the vehicle. Forest officials then arrested the four accused and detained the truck as well as a Zen car (GA-01-Z-0312), which was placed by the roadside. Investigations are in progress.
